Sinner
by ButterflyGirl89
Summary: Jo Danville thought the John Curtis case was in the past but when bodies turn up signed by John Curtis she realises she was wrong. Her life is in more danger than ever and the team also find themselves in danger as they try to help Jo before its too late.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first attempt at a CSI: New York story, so a huge thanks to anyone who gives this a shot. I hope you won't be disappointed. I'm still relatively new to CSI New York and was a big fan of Stella, but have to admit they have found a fantastic replacement with Jo and I adore her character. This story is based on Jo and set after Means To An End and the John Curtis storyline. **

**Summary: Jo Danville thought that the whole horrid case involving John Curtis was over with when she shot him dead, but now the case is coming back to haunt her. Jo knows the dead can't come back to life but the impossible seems to be happening when she beings to get stalked by John Curtis himself. He's leaving bodies for her to find with a signed confession by each one of them. It's a race against the clock to discover who is messing with Jo and who is killing and raping women of New York. Whoever it is tormenting her will stop at nothing to see her suffer, even if it means by hurting other members of the team or her family before ultimately going after Jo herself.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine if you've seen them on CSI: NY, I'm just borrowing for entertainment purposes. **

**Chapter 1**

The rain was coming down hard by the time Jo Danville got to the crime scene at almost midnight on a cold Friday night. The angry rain pounded hard against the ground, her body, and anything else in its path. It sounded like hailstone and was unforgiving as hail. Her body felt bruised by it. She met Mac by where the latest body had been found. This one had turned up in the Rambles in Central park. She had to shout to be heard by Mac over the heavy down pour. "Is it our guy again?"

"Yeah! Same guy, same pattern, but there's more this time, Jo!" he yelled back as the made their way into the thick bushes and climbed over large slippery wet boulders.

"What is it?" Jo asked him.

Mac didn't answer her, _he wanted her to see for herself. _Finally they reached the body that had been covered over with tarpaulin to try to preserve what evidence they may be able to find. Officers stood guard over it with large black umbrella's. Jo crouched down next to the body. An officer held the umbrella over her as she lifted up part of the tarpaulin to reveal the dead woman's chest. Her blood soaked blouse was pulled apart and so exposed the writing that had been carved deep into the flesh between the woman's throat and the top swell of her breasts.

The rain suddenly stopped, as quick as it had started. Mac clearly heard Jo's sigh. "_Sinner." _she said as she read the word on the woman's chest. "It's definitely our guys work."

"Look at her stomach." Mac told her.

Jo looked up at him, confused. This was the fifth victim they had found with the word '_sinner'_ carved into her chest. They knew they had a serial killer and an enthusiastic rapist at work whose patterns never changed; the slit throat, the word _'sinner' _on the chest, the multiple brutal rapes. The only thing that differed were the women themselves. All had been from different races, ages ranging from eighteen to forty three, different hair colours, backgrounds. Its why she didn't understand why Mac was telling her to look at the stomach, but trusting him whole heartily, she did as instructed.

She pushed the tarpaulin aside and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw what had been carved into the woman's stomach. "_John Curtis." _she gasped, wide eyed.

She quickly covered the body over again and stood up. Without saying a word she pushed past Mac and the officers. She felt dizzy, terribly light headed as she headed out of the Rambles. She knew Mac was following after her, she heard him say her name but it was nothing more than an echo.

She saw the night sky spin round and round above her before she felt a hard smack against her body and heard a crunch. She saw Mac leaning over above her, felt the rain begin to pound against her body again before everything went black.

**TBC**

**Sorry this is a short chapter, the next will be up ASAP, if more is wanted that is. This will probably be a Mac/Jo story because I think they'd make a great couple.**

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **

**Can anyone tell me how old both of Jo's children are supposed to be?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and let me know the ages of Jo's children, they're not going to have a major part in this story or anything but will be in it. Mac will be the next biggest character in this story. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 2**

Jo woke up to find herself in the back of an ambulance. She saw the stocked shelves above her and different medical equipment and apparatus hanging on the wall. She turned to see Mac sat next to her holding an ice pack against her head.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"You passed out. Hit your head on a rock as you landed. You knocked yourself out cold." he told her as he pulled away the ice pack. "You're now the proud owner of three lovely stitches on you scalp."

"You like them that much, you can have them." Jo joked as she sat up and gently felt them.

"It's nice to see your feeling yourself again." he smiled, referring to her usual humour. "You had me worried back there. Suppose I know why you acted the way you did."

"It's gotta be a sick joke, Mac. John Curtis is dead… I..I killed him." she said as the images of him attacking her, slamming her head first into a mirror, taunting her, before she shot him, flashed before her eyes. She rubbed her eyes as if to rub away the memory.

"You said it. It's just someone playing a sick joke on you." Mac agreed. He hesitated before he said, "Maybe you should take a step back from this case."

Jo's gaze shot up at him and she began to shake her head, "No! Mac, if this is someone playing games with me then I want to be the one to catch them." she told him, her tone told him she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Ok." Mac said. "For now." he added.

"That's all I'll need Mac, because I'm gonna find this prick before he kills another woman." Jo said determined.

~0~0~0~0~

"Night Arnold!" Casey shouted as she left the back entrance of Arnolds bar where she worked as a waitress. She stepped into the alley and the door slammed shut behind her. She reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of Marlboro cigarettes, she lit one up and began making her way down the alley towards her car.

She'd only taken a few steps and just one puff from her cigarette when she heard a crash behind her, the sound of trash cans falling against the hard floor. She spun around and scanned the alley behind her, she saw nothing, _no one. _

The sound came again but from behind her the other way. She spun round on her heels and screamed as a cat jumped out from behind some more trash cans next to her, knocking them over. It took a second for her heart to stop pounding. When it did she crouched down and picked the trash can up, _not seeing or hearing the figure creeping up behind her. _

~0~0~0~0~

It was the next day when Lindsay was coming out of the lab, looking over the evidence she had just analysed. She literally bumped into Mac who was walking past. He had to put his hands on her shoulders to steady her again.

"Thanks, Mac. Err, sorry." she said in a bit of a daze.

"Its fine." Mac said with a smile before he began to walk away.

"Hey, Mac, is Jo around yet?" she asked, following after him

"No, not yet. Everything ok?" he asked.

"I just got finished up going over what little evidence we found at the scene last night. There's really not much to go on. As usual our perp is careful not to leave us any clues behind. There was one thing though. We found hairs on the body…did Jo examine the body lower that the stomach?" she asked.

"No." Mac said, wondering where she was going with this.

Lindsay looked at him and he could see the confusion on her face. "There were hairs on the vic's thigh. I ran them through the system and they came up a match." she said.

"What does that have to do with Jo?" he asked.

"The match was made to Jo's DNA." Lindsay told him.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo was at home, almost ready for work. Mac had told her to have a lie in and make sure she was feeling well enough to work. She'd had the lie in only because it had taken her hours to fall asleep and when she finally did she slept in because her alarm failed to go off which she didn't understand.

She was annoyed with herself for sleeping in as she finished off getting ready for work. She picked up her coffee mug, that she had just re-filled, and went to take a swig. She yelped in pain as she lost grip of it and the hot contents of the mug spilled all over her chest.

"Ouch! Shit!" she yelled as she peeled off her sweater and shirt. She threw them on the floor where they landed with a wet slap. She ran into the bathroom and climbed straight into the shower cubicle. She turned the cold water on and let it fall against her burning chest.

She stood there until the burning pain went away. When finally it did she stepped out, the bottoms of her wet jeans slapped against the tiled floor and she cursed again, she was going to be even more late for work now.

~0~0~0~0~

It was another twenty minutes before she was ready to leave for work...again. She was just collecting her keys when there was a knock on the door. She walked over to it, intending to leave after she dismissed whoever was at it.

She opened it up and was taken aback to see Mac standing there. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked with a smile. Mac always had the ability to make her smile without even saying a word to her. She suddenly noticed how Mac's gaze was fixed on her chest. "Up here, Mac." she said pointing to her eyes, still smiling.

"What happened?" he asked, seeing how red and inflamed her chest looked.

Jo tried to ignore him as stepped aside so Mac could step inside, after all it was no big deal, _just an accident_.

"Jo!" Mac insisted.

"I spilled coffee over myself is all!" she told him with a smile.

"You need to go hospital, it looks painful." he told her.

"No, I'm fine. Its barely even blistered. I just want to get to work." she said as she grabbed a fresh sweater off the back of the couch and pulled it on over her black tank top, wincing at the mild discomfort it caused her. She had her back to Mac and so knew he didn't see her wince but when she turned to face him she wasn't so convinced.

Mac remained on the same spot, hands in his pockets, staring at her. Although he was silent his stare told her he had a million questions.

"Mac what is it?" she asked as she stepped closer to him.

"They found hair on the victim." he told her.

"That's great. It could tell us who our perp is. Did we get a match from the system yet?" she asked.

Mac nodded. His silence was beginning to worry her. "Well, _geez_ Mac, don't leave me wondering. Who'd it belong to?" she asked.

Mac hesitated before he answered. "You." he said.

Jo looked at him and shook her head, unsure whether she had heard him right or wrong. "What?" she asked.

"The match was made against your DNA." Mac told her.

"How can that be? I barely looked at the body. Where bouts on her body where they found?" she asked.

"I can't tell you that, Jo."

She couldn't hide her astonishment from him, "Can't tell me?" she questioned as she took a step back from him to lean on the back of the couch.

"Jo, I have to take you off this case."

"Just because my hair was somehow transferred onto the body?"

"They weren't transferred Jo, they were planted. I asked Lindsay to take a second look at the hairs and we realised the hairs were somewhat degraded. They were aged Jo. Somehow someone got stands of your hair and put it on that body for us to find..." Mac said.

Jo was too annoyed to hear every word he was saying or really understand the full extent of his words. She did notice when there was a knock on the door. She put her hand up to silence Mac and walked over to the door.

She opened it up and waited for the delivery man who stood there to say something. Mac couldn't help but look over her shoulder at the tall, dark haired man, "Josephine Danville?" the man asked before he held out paper work for her to sign.

Jo was in a daze but she signed for it anyway. She half smiled at the delivery man, thanked him and closed the door. She stepped into her kitchen with Mac following behind, both of them silent.

"Jo…" Mac began to say.

"So what am I supposed to do if you take me off this case?" she asked.

"There is no _if _about it, Jo. You _are_ off the case." Mac told her firmly.

Jo shook her head at him. "This should be my case. Curtis was my perp."

"John Curtis is dead." Mac reminded her.

"So I thought." Jo scoffed as she looked at the package in her hand. It was a small box, wrapped up in typical brown paper. It was the name in the corner of it that suddenly caught her eye. Carefully she opened one end of the packaging. It came open easy and the box inside slid out into her other hand.

She looked at the box in her hand wide eyed, as did Mac. It was a clear plastic sandwich box and inside was bloody severed hand.

Jo looked up at Mac who was already on his phone calling for the team.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo was sat behind her desk, slumped over it with her face hidden behind her left hand, in her right was her desk phone. "I'm glad you're having a good time, sweetie." she said, not noticing that Mac was now standing in her doorway, listening. "Ok, Ellie. Love you too sweat-heart. Speak to you tomorrow." she said before she hung up.

Mac noticed how she seemed to be staring at the phone which she held down on the receiver. It was only after a second that he realised it wasn't the phone she was looking at, but her hand.

He reached up and gently knocked on her door. It clearly startled her but she smiled as soon as she saw him standing there.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Her reply was a nod and another smile.

Mac walked over to her desk and sat down opposite her. "Was that Ellie you were speaking to?" he asked, trying to make conversation, something that had never been difficult between them.

"Yeah," she said turning to face the phone, wishing she could be there with Ellie. She wanted a hug from her daughter, a hug to make everything seem better. "It's her first school trip where she's staying away longer than a week.." she told Mac.

"Is she enjoying it?"

"I don't actually think she wants to come home." she laughed.

Mac just smiled and was about to talk about something other than what he had come in to tell her.

"Mac, just tell me whatever it is you need to." Jo said knowingly.

He hesitated momentarily before he said, "So far we have no body to match the hand to. The delivery guy checks out so we have no idea where it came from. He just found it in his bag."

"That hand was fresh, it was put into the delivery mans bag when he came into my building."

"We checked the CCTV Jo, he came in alone and no where in your building was anything put into his bag."

Jo leant back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair.

"You look tired." Mac said.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well last night. My head was hurting." she lied.

"Then go home, have a hot cocoa and a nice bubble bath and go to sleep." Mac suggested.

Jo could only laugh. "Yes boss." she said as she stood up, his suggestion sounded like a good idea.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo walked through her apartment, double checking everything was switched off and that windows and doors were locked. It was only once she had done all these checks that she finally went into her bedroom and climbed into bed.

She had fallen asleep quite quickly but it was only a restless sleep. She was tossing and turning so violently that when she woke up she had to fight her way out of the blankets. Once she was free she sat with her head resting in her hands. She wished she could go back off to sleep. S_he was soo exhausted. _

She had to look up and stare through the dark when she heard something, a rattling. She wasn't sure if it was coming from outside or inside her apartment but she heard it loud and clear.

She leant across the bed, reached into her dresser and pulled out her gun. Once she had it loaded and ready she crept out of bed. Moving slowly and silently she crept across her room. She opened the door and struggled to check it was clear in the hallway but finally she stepped out of her room.

She could still hear the rattling sound and it was coming from the end off the hallway. She tightened her grip around her weapon and made her way down the hall, the sound getting louder. She was so busy concentrating on being silent that she forgot to dodge the creaky floorboard outside the bathroom.

As soon as she put her weight down on it, it let out a loud creak of protest. She hopped off it but she knew if someone was in her apartment they would have heard it. She stood still for a moment and listened…. _The rattling had stopped…_

She took a deep breath and made her way to the end of the hallway. She wanted to turn on a light but it was safer for her to be in the dark, her eyes had already adjusted to it so she could see almost perfectly. She looked around her living room and saw nothing, _no-one. _She could see into the kitchen from where she stood and there too she saw nothing, _no-one. _

A noise made her head snap to the right. It was then she saw the envelope sitting on the floor by her front door. She flipped a light on and quickly checked the living room and kitchen again.

As she walked over to the envelope she realised the noise had been someone…or something trying to get in her apartment, there was no-one in it. She was unsure at first whether or not to open the envelope, but curiosity won over. She flipped it over and saw that it was indeed addressed to her. _Jo Danville, _the writing was clear, crisp, masculine.

She took a deep breath before she opened it. Inside was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and began to read it.

"_Central Park, the spot in the picture. _

_You'll find the rest there._

_From one Sinner to another._

_John Curtis"_

Jo gripped her gun and pulled her front door open. She checked the hallway before she ran out into it. If John Curtis had been there, he wasn't anymore. Relaxing a little, she reached into the envelope and pulled out a picture. The picture was of her and Ellie, visiting their favourite spot in the park, where they went every Sunday.

~0~0~0~0~

It was cold and very dark in the park. Jo knew exactly where she was going but the route seemed so different at night time. She froze with her heart pounding when she heard rustling in the bushes next to her. She put her hand on her weapon that was in its holster, attached to her belt.

She pulled it out and took a slow, steady step towards the bushes. She was about to take another when someone jumped out at her. They were quick, like a spring. Jo fell to the floor and heard her gun slide across the floor. She rolled onto her side and tried to reach out for it but the person who had jumped out at her kicked her hard in the ribs.

She rolled onto her back, groaning in pain. She heard her attacker running away from her. She slowly rolled over and immediately saw her gun was gone. "Great…" she muttered as she pushed herself up.

She began brushing herself off. She hated that she had allowed herself to get set-up. She suddenly felt something wet on her hands, at first she thought mud, but it was when she turned her hands upside down to look at her palms that she saw they were now covered in blood. She knew she wasn't injured, other than her bruised ribs. _It was someone else's blood. _

As she stepped forward into the bushes she realised she hadn't been setup but she had gotten there too quick, not giving the perp chance to leave. She pushed her way into the bushes, her head telling her not to, telling her to call for back-up first. She'd gone no more than a few feet into the thick bushes and thorny shrubs when she came across the body of a woman.

She noticed that one of the hands was missing, the clothes were torn and across the chest was carved _'sinner'_. Laying on the woman's stomach was a picture. Jo carefully stepped closer to bloodied and beaten body so she could study the picture. It was of her, crossing the street, totally unaware someone was taking her picture.

There was black writing on the corner of it, the same writing that had been on the letter in the envelope;

"_Jo,_

_Hope you like your present. _

_See you again soon,_

_John Curtis."_

Jo stepped back and pulled out her phone. It rang just two times before Mac answered. "Hey, Mac, it's Jo. I need you to come down to Central park…with a team."

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to anyone who reviewed or added an alert or favourite to this story. The reviews have been amazing so far, so another huge thanks to anyone who has reviewed so far. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 3**

"What the hell do you think you were playing at!" Mac yelled at Jo.

They were stood in his office, Mac behind his desk and Jo on the other side. The others were gathered in the lab with their backs to Mac's office so he couldn't see that they were listening instead of working. They could practically hear every word he was saying, loud and clear. They were all desperate to watch but they knew how angry Mac was with Jo so thought it best not to make it obvious.

"He's gonna chew her up and spit her out." Adam said in a sing song voice.

"Shut-up." Lindsay told him.

"Why in God's name did you go there alone in the first place, Jo?" Mac continued yelling.

"I wasn't aware that I needed you permission for where I go when I'm not working, Mac." Jo argued.

"You do when it's relating to this case."

"I'm no longer on this case, remember?" she argued.

"More the reason why you should have called me when you found that note."

"That note was meant for me, it was put under my door. I was the one who was supposed to find that body, not you."

"And you could have gotten yourself killed doing so!" Mac yelled at her.

She glared angrily at him for a moment but then her expression changed, softened, and she slumped down onto the chair behind her. "I'm sorry, Mac. I guess I just didn't think it through. I was just so furious that this psycho had been to my home…. _Oh, _thank God Ellie's out of town." she said as she hid her face behind her hands.

"I can make sure that there's someone to keep an eye on your place." Mac offered as he sat down, having become less angry.

"No. No, not at all. I want everyone working on this case, not babysitting me. I want this psycho found and that will only happen if everyone's on board here."

"Jo, there's nothing wrong with having someone watching your back."

"Someone's just playing with my head. That's all."

"And what if they decide that they wanna do more than just screw with your head, Jo."

Mac's words made her sit up straight as a shiver shot down her spine. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling suddenly cold. Mac heard his words play back in his head and suddenly wished he'd chose them a little better.

He knew all the victims had been brutally raped and so wished he hadn't said the word "_screw_." It wasn't what he'd meant, he was thinking more that someone just wanted Jo dead, but as he looked at her he began to think differently. Jo was stunning, even when she looked scared, _which he knew she was. _It suddenly worried him what thoughts could go through a rapists head about her.

"From now on, anything you receive from this guy you tell me. You don't go searching for bodies on your own. You can come along but you don't move away from my side. Got it?" Mac said.

Jo hated the thought that she would be no more than a puppet on strings by Mac's side but it was better to be involved that way than not at all. She just nodded, accepting of his orders.

~0~0~0~0~

From Jo's office the lab looked like it was swarming with busy CSI's and lab techs. Yet here she was in her office, sat on her ass, doing nothing. _She hated it. _She felt so useless_. _She wanted to be helping not just sitting back watching. She was frustrated, angry.

It was only when she heard her cell phone beeping in her bag that her attention was taken away from her colleagues. She reached into her bag that was sat on the floor behind her desk and pulled out her phone. She had to look in wonder at the text message that had come through from some random number she'd never seen before.

She opened the message and began to read it;

_Jo, _

_I've left a little something for you to find. _

_The parking lot behind your apartment building. _

_Come alone,_

_John Curtis._

She sat back and thought about it. Thought about how worried Mac had been after last night. Remembered his words from earlier. She read the text again, "_come alone" _She shook her head, she knew she couldn't go alone. _She had to take the team. _

~0~0~0~0~

Mac had allowed Jo to come along with him and Lindsay and two other CSI's. They were all searching the car park. Jo couldn't help but feel like a child, if she tried to take more than two steps away from Mac's side he'd grab her wrist to stop her

"We will find, whatever it is this asshole wants me to find, a lot faster if we split up." Jo said.

"Forget it." Was his reply.

"Hey, over here!" Lindsay shouted from across the car park. "I think I found something!"

Both Jo and Mac raced over to her, quickly followed by the other officers. Lindsay was crouching over a box. They could all see the bottom of it was soaked in blood. They watched as Lindsay reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of rubber gloves. She then carefully and strategically opened up the box.

Jo wasn't the type of person who was even the slightest bit squeamish but she had to turn away, unable to look at the face that seemed to stare up at _her_ from inside the box. The eyes on the dismembered head looked at her with an icy glare.

Jo started to walk away, she couldn't believe how much this case was getting to her, she just couldn't help but feel that these bodies were on her hands. She was halfway across the car park when Mac caught up with her. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from walking off any further, but she ripped it out of his grasp.

She turned to face him with an angry look on her face. It was an anger that he didn't understand. "Jo, talk to me." he said.

Jo wanted to, she did, but instead she shook her head. She was frightened that if she spoke she may cry. She rolled her eyes and sighed. She felt so pathetic. "I wanna know who that girl is, but what I really want to know is how the hell John Curtis could be the one doing this!" she said before she stormed off. She was going to her apartment, it still felt the next safest place to her, after the lab.

She didn't bother to argue with Mac who was following, she simply let him. She figured he was going to follow her right into her apartment and he did.. So as she walked through the front door she purposely left it open behind her for him to come through.

She flicked the light on and couldn't stop the scream that burst from her throat. Mac saw what had made her scream. It was sitting on her couch, propped up…a headless body.

"Son-uv-a-bitch!" Jo muttered as she pushed past Mac and stepped out into the hall.

Mac couldn't pull his eyes away from the body, it was a beaten mess. It was completely naked and there were 6 evident bullet holes spread across the torso. Across the chest was carved _'sinner' _on the stomach was carved _'Jo Danville' _and in the woman's lap was a picture of John Curtis.

He took out his phone and rang Lindsay. "Get up to Jo's apartment." he said to her.

"_What's in there?" _she asked.

"Our crime scene." he told her.

He turned to face the door and looked out into the hallway. Sat there was Jo; her legs tucked up against her body, her elbows resting on her knees, her hands tangled in her hair. She was staring at the body, she couldn't pull her eyes away.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac walked into the lab where Hawkes was finishing up some tests. "What have you found?" Mac asked him.

Hawkes turned to face him with an expression that Mac knew meant he had bad news.

"Give me the bad news first." Mac said.

"I compared the bullets that Sid pulled out of the body, found in Jo's apartment, to a gun and they came up a match."

"Against what gun?" Mac asked.

"Against Jo's service weapon." Hawkes told him, unsure what to do with the information.

"She said it was taken when she was knocked down in central park." Mac informed him.

Hawkes sighed before he said, "Someone's really trying to mess with her head."

"You think?" Mac snapped sarcastically. He saw how Hawke seemed to take a step back, almost offended by his sarcasm. "I'm sorry," Mac offered. "I've never seen Jo like this. She seems almost scared. Its not like her."

"This case is getting to her. Its understandable, considering who's taking the blame for all the murders, which seems mad since its like he's trying to set Jo up for the murders." Hawkes said.

"You and I both know John Curtis has not risen from the dead to torment Jo." Mac said.

"You, I _and Jo _all know that there is no way John Curtis could have risen from the dead and that's exactly why Jo is so scared. It's hard to stop something, or someone when you don't know who, or what they even are." Hawkes said.

Mac could only look at him, knowing his younger colleague was right.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac made his way to Jo's office. When he got there he found her slumped over her desk, her head resting on her arms. "You're tired." he said knowingly.

"No, I'm exhausted." Jo said honestly as she sat up and brushed her hands over her tired eyes.

"You need to go to bed."

"That would be much easier if my home wasn't a crime scene." she reminded him.

Mac had somehow let that slip his mind, however, a solution quickly entered his head. "Look, why don't you stay at mine tonight? You can take my bed and I will sleep on the couch."

"That's really sweet but I couldn't."

"So then where were you planning on sleeping tonight?" he asked her.

Jo looked at him, then looked at her desk and smiled. All she could do was shrug her shoulders and shake her head.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was adding the finishing touches to his bed for the night, _his couch_. He was just fluffing up his pillow when he heard the bathroom door open. He glanced up from the couch and saw a pair of long, tanned and perfectly toned legs in the bathroom doorway. He continued to glance up until his eyes met Jo's.

She was wearing a shirt that he had lent her and although it was far too big she looked amazing in it. It was long enough to cover her ass. He found his gaze dropping back down to her legs. Her skin looked so soft, and it was the colour of caramel and…

"The shirts a little too big." Jo said, feeling slightly uncomfortable and bringing Mac away from his thoughts.

"It looks great on you." he thought out loud. Jo smiled and it was only then that he heard back the words he had just said. He cringed and wanted the world to swallow him up. It was the truth, she looked fantastic but he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Are you sure you don't mind sleeping on the couch? I really don't mind. I don't wanna put you out of your own bed." she said as she walked over to him.

"Its fine. I wouldn't dream of letting you sleep on this couch. It's about as a comfy as a pile of rocks." he said.

"Exactly why you should let me sleep on that and you take your bed."

"No, Jo." he said firmly.

"Fine." she said with a smile and she pushed her hair back off her face.

He suddenly caught a whiff of her perfume and although he had smelt it on her a dozen times it suddenly smelt so much more enticing. He felt like it was enveloping him in, drawing him closer to Jo.

"Look, thanks again for this Mac, I really appreciate it." Jo said, closing the gap as she placed her hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. "It's really kind of you."

"You're welcome." he said as he placed his hand on top of hers.

They both remained still and totally silent for a moment, their hands touching. Jo found herself gazing into Mac's eyes. She's always loved them, always though they were deep as oceans. They were standing so close that each time he exhaled she felt his breath on her skin, it was warm and made her skin tingle.

She smiled as she pulled her hand away and took a step back. She wasn't sure she wouldn't make a stupid move if she stayed so close to him. She knew she had to stay professional, Mac was her boss.

"Come on," he said, snapping her from her thoughts, making her blush a little. "I'll show you to the bedroom." he said.

Jo followed behind him until they came to his room. They both stopped outside it, both feeling as awkward as the other. "I don't think we should really tell anyone about this, me staying here tonight I mean." Jo suggested.

"You mean you don't want to be the talk of the lab?" Mac joked.

"You mean I'm not already." she joked back. Mac just smiled at her. She smiled back as she opened the bedroom door, then said, "Good night, Mac."

"Good night, Jo." he replied as she stepped into the bedroom and shut the door behind her.

Mac remained by the bedroom door for a moment before he turned and walked back to the couch. He was completely unable to get the image of Jo in his shirt out of his head, or the touch of her hand on his arm, the scent of her perfume. He felt a little guilty. She was here needing his help and support and he was thinking of her in his shirt and less…. "Stop it Mac." he muttered to himself as he sat down on the couch.

He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, hoping some sport would help put some different images in his head.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo rolled over in bed to face the digital clock on the bedside table. _3.10am, _she'd been asleep for about four hours_. _She lay there for a moment before she noticed the chill in the room that hadn't been there when she'd fallen asleep. Her blood ran cold when she heard a creak from behind her.

She shot up in the bed in time to see something fly past her, coming in through the open window. It hit the wall next to the bed with a loud smash. Flames suddenly exploded across the wall and floor. Another loud smash behind her made her jump and scream. More flames exploded beside her. The flames seemed to dance all around the bed, trapping her on it.

"MAC!" she screamed just as the door burst open.

He was there, wide eyed as he stared at the flames. The smoke bellowed around them, choking them both. Mac suddenly ran back out of the bedroom. Jo searched through the flames and smoke, she noticed the window was still open and as the wind blew in it blew the flames closer and closer to her.

The fire alarm began to ring, loud and ear piercingly so. "MAC!" Jo shouted as she began coughing, her lungs felt like they were on fire and she could feel the heat from the flames prickling her skin.

Mac suddenly ran back into the room. He had a tiny fire extinguisher in his hands that he used to try to put out the flames, but it was no good. Another smash rang out and more flames burst to life in the bedroom.

Mac suddenly realised the flames were too much for the tiny extinguisher. "Jo, jump off the bed!" he yelled to her.

Jo thought he was mad, the flames danced high around her like a wall, a wall that suddenly crept onto the bed. Knowing it was jump or burn alive she stood up and looked at Mac.

"Jo, jump! I'll catch you!" Mac yelled.

She was about to jump when more flames burst up around her. Flames that suddenly snapped at her leg. The pain was unreal, nauseating. She almost fell off the bed into the flames but she used the wall behind her to steady herself. Mac saw her struggling and so fought his way closer to the bed, closer to the flames. The heat in the room was almost unbearable and Jo suddenly felt light headed. She knew she was in great danger and so was Mac as he tried to help her. "Mac, get out its not safe!" she yelled to him, thinking of his safety.

"No! I'm not leaving you here, Jo!" he yelled at her as he crept as close to the bed as the flames would allow before they snapped at him, he was quick to dodge them but they were angry and determined and kept snapping out at him. "Jo, come on, jump!" he yelled over the roaring flames.

Jo took as deep a breath as she could before she leapt of the bed. She landed on her feet in front of Mac who wrapped his arms around her. Despite her cries of pain he dragged her from the room, she could only try to limp along with him.

Knowing they needed to get out quick he stopped, reached down and scooped her up. He ran from the apartment and out into the hallway where his neighbours had gathered. Mac placed Jo down but kept his arms wrapped around her waist in order to hold her up. She buried her face against his chest and held onto him as she choked on the smoke in her lungs.

Mac watched as the smoke poured out of his apartment. He could hear sirens from fire engines approaching. He wondered if they'd arrive in time to stop anymore damage being done.

He held onto Jo tighter as he thought about how close he had just come to losing her. He wanted to know who had tried to kill her, he wanted to make them pay.

**TBC**

**Gotta love a bit of Mac saves the day action. Hope you liked. **

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews so far. They've been amazing, I love that a few of you thought the last chapter was going to be a dream of some sort. It was just a taste of how much darker and dangerous this story is going to get for not only Jo but the other characters as well.**

**I love action and suspense and keeping you guys on your toes. Hope you're all enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. **

**This chapter contains song lyrics. If you can, listen to the song when it appears in the story, I think it works really well. The song was actually used in the episode Means To An End. (When Jo kills John Curtis). It only seemed appropriate to use it. It will be used again later on. The lyrics are perfect for this story I think. The song is **_**Never let me go **_**buy **_**Florence and the machine**_**. **

**I kinda found myself re-writing this chapter a little, so I can only hope you like where it ultimately leads. It was a surprise for myself but I just found myself typing it and…well….liked what I wrote. Hope you do too. :D This is kinda a long chapter, so be prepared.**

**Disclaimer: Characters, song and lyrics all belong to their respective owners which, for the record, isn't me. : (**

**Chapter 4**

Lindsay, Hawkes and Danny all walked into Mac's apartment. It was early the next morning and the sun shining in through the windows cast shadows, making the smoke damaged walls look blacker and angrier than they actually were. The smell of smoke, fire and fear hung around them all like a thick blanket.

"The worst of the damage is in the bedroom. That's where the fire was started; that's where Jo was." Hawkes said.

Lindsay looked around, shaking her head as a cold shiver shot down her spine. "I can't believe how lucky she's been, just burns to her leg. God, they both could have died." she said as she scanned the ruined apartment.

Danny wrapped his arms around her and gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. "Hey they're both fine. We just need to make sure we find something that will help us nail the bastard who did this." Danny said to her.

"Lets make a start then." she said.

Immediately they all set to work, taking pictures and finding evidence. All of them still worrying about Jo and Mac. The team was close, more like family than colleagues and when one of them was threatened they all came to fight back like a pride of angry lions. Right now they were just making the first move on going in for the kill_, they were determined._

~0~0~

They all found different pieces of evidence as the worked for over an hour and a half.

"So, why do you think Jo was staying here?" Danny asked. "I mean, I get why she couldn't stay at her place but why not check into a hotel?"

They were all thinking it but it was Lindsay who said, "I can understand why Jo would rather stay with a friend than in a random hotel room. Besides, it's not really any of our business." she said, giving her husband a smile that said _"drop it!"_

Danny knew well enough to take his orders and immediately went back to work. Hawkes just laughed at them and continued to search for more evidence. It was him who came upon deep scratches in the wood on the outside window-sill, clearly made by some sort of sharp blade. The scratches were just by a splinter of wood that was stuck up and on the splinter was a smear of blood. He didn't hesitate to picture it and then take a swab. He imagined how it had got there.

_The attacker was perched on the fire escape, looking in through the window he could see Jo, lying asleep in the bed, which was just a few feet away from the window. The attacker used a knife to inch open the window, causing the scratches in the wood. He then hooked his fingers into the small opening and pulled the window open, but not before snagging the tip of his finger on the splinter of wood, leaving behind the telling smear. _

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was stood watching as the nurse changed the bandage on Jo's leg. He couldn't help but think how nasty the burst blisters looked. He had to smile as he thought that, even though Jo would ultimately have an obvious scar on her leg, her legs were still stunning.

"What?" she asked, seeing him smiling.

"Nothing." he lied.

She half smiled at him and then noticed the bandage on his right arm. "How is that?" she asked him.

He knew she was referring to the burn on his arm. One he had got trying to get closer to the bed to help her, he hadn't even noticed it until a nurse at the hospital had pointed it out. "It's fine." he said, brushing it off. It was nowhere near as severe as her burn was.

The nurse took just a minute or two to bandage Jo's leg up again. "That looks good but Doctor Pierce wants you to stay in a little longer, for observation. But, then you should be free to go."

Jo nodded, happy at the thought of getting out. _She hated hospitals, _even more so when she was a patient in one. The nurse left and Mac pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed where Jo sat, holding her leg.

"Do you need something for the pain?" he asked her.

"No, it's fine." she said with a smile, letting go of her leg and letting it lay flat on the bed.

They were silent for a moment before Jo had to say what was on her mind. "Mac, I want to thank you. You probably saved my life back there."

"You helped save yourself." he reminded her.

"You could have left me, I wouldn't have blamed you if you had."

"If I had left you, you would have died."

"I still wouldn't have blamed you. I can't believe you stayed there with me." she said looking him in the eyes.

"I would never have left you there, Jo." he said, looking right back at her.

She found herself becoming lost in his eyes before she asked, "Why?"

He knew just how deep her question was aiming. She wanted to know if he felt the same things she felt for him. _Had it been the other way round, Jo would never have left him either. _

Mac was about to answer when the door burst open. They both looked up to see Adam walk in. Both Jo and Mac were now dressed in blue hospital scrubs but they were both stained black from the smoke and the smell clung to their hair, they looked a mess and both felt it. _Visitors were the last thing they wanted. _

"How are you both feeling" Adam asked as he walked over to the bed carrying a balloon, a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates.

Jo cocked her head to the side as she studied the balloon. She couldn't help but comment on the blue _congratulations-its-a-baby-boy _balloon. "Adam, I haven't given birth, I burnt my leg." she informed him.

"I know….but it was the only balloon the gift shop had left so I figured it was better than none."

Jo just laughed, she appreciated the gesture and was reminded of why she liked Adam so much. "That's sweet. And those flowers are beautiful!" she said seeing the huge bouquet in his hands.

"I didn't actually get you them….or the chocolates. They were delivered to the lab for you. They're from your son…I read the card." he confessed as he passed her the flowers.

Jo had to smile as she dug into the huge bouquet of bright flowers. She found the card and read it out loud._"Mom, all my love. Tyler." _

Mac took the flowers from her so she could take the chocolates from Adam. She studied them for a second, looking puzzled. "He must have forgot." she thought out loud.

"What?" Mac asked.

"These are all strawberry-creams. I hate strawberry-creams, always have." she said, feeling a little guilty.

Adam had taken a few steps away from the bed when he heard Jo. "Are you…not gonna eat those then?" he asked her.

Jo smiled and shook her head. "Knock yourself out." she said as she passed him the box.

Like an excited child he grabbed the box from her and broke his way into it. "I'm a sucker for strawberry-creams." he said before putting a full one into his mouth.

Jo and Mac both had to laugh at him. Mac refused when Adam offered him a chocolate. He just watched as Adam tucked into another one like a hungry pup.

"You keep them to yourself." Mac said as he turned to face Jo. However, they quickly turned to face Adam when they heard a choking sound. They saw him, red faced and wide eyed.

The box of chocolates seemed to suddenly fall from his hands in slow motion. They hit the floor and scattered. Mac dropped the flowers to the floor as he and Jo both made their way over to Adam. Mac got there just in time to catch Adam as he fell forward, clutching his throat.

It shocked them both when Adam coughed up a load of blood but it was Jo who let out a stifled sob before calling for help. Desperately, she jumped up and limped over to the door. She practically threw herself out of it, "Help! I need help!" she shouted at some nurses who were stood down the corridor.

She looked back down to see Adam had gone still and that Mac was now performing CPR. She was shocked, shaking. She looked down at one of the chocolates on the floor. Just then a bunch of nurses came running in, stomping all over most of the chocolates. They quickly moved Adam onto the bed and then pushed him out of the room towards the ER.

Jo leant back against the wall and continued to look at the now squashed chocolates. she then looked up at the flowers and back to the chocolates. It was then she knew they were never from Tyler. _It was another gift from John Curtis, meant for her._

~0~0~0~0~

Flack was the last one to arrive at the hospital. He was met by Jo and Mac who were sat, with equally gloomy expressions, in the corridor.

"What the hell happened?" Flack asked.

"He was poisoned. He ate some chocolates…"

"…That I gave him. That were meant for me, not him." Jo said angrily as she stood up and began pacing.

Both Mac and Flack watched her before they turned to face each other again. "He's doing fine now. Why don't you go in and see him. Everyone's in there." Mac said to him, pointing to the room behind him.

Flack nodded and patted his friends shoulder before he disappeared into the room. Mac wandered down the corridor to where Jo now stood, looking out of the window.

He placed his hand supportively on her lower back. "This isn't your fault."

"Of course it is, Mac. I was supposed to eat those chocolates, not Adam. I thought they were from Tyler. I should have known."

"This is because of John Curtis."

"No, Mac! John Curtis is dead. This is someone else. Someone who wants to hurt me, make me suffer. Yet the only people getting hurt are innocent women and now my friends."

"Adam isn't going to blame you for this."

"He doesn't have to. I blame myself for this, for those murders and for your apartment getting almost burned down. Damn-it, you got hurt Mac." she said looking at his bandaged arm.

"Jo, I'm not the only one who got hurt. Look at the burn on your leg; the stitches in your head, the bruises and scrapes on your back…" Mac began.

Jo just shook her head, "Mac, nothing that has happened to me compares to what you, Adam and those women went through." she said before she pulled away from him and limped off down the corridor. "I need some air." she told him. She did need air but also some space to clear her head.

She had just made it outside when her cell phone began to ring. "Jo Danville." she said as she answered, no bothering to check caller ID.

"I have something you may want to see." an unfamiliar male voice said to her.

"Who the hell is this?" she growled through gritted teeth.

"Someone you need to start listening to, you little bitch!" they snapped back at her, "Now, I'm a hundred percent sure that I told you to come alone yesterday. Yet I saw you at the parking lot with four other people."

"You really think I'm stupid enough to…."

"I'm giving you one more chance!" he yelled, interrupting her. "The black van you can see across the car park from you…." he said.

Jo immediately scanned the car park. She saw a black van parked about 25ft away from where she was standing.

"I see you looking!" the voice sang at her down the phone.

"What the hell do you want from me?" she asked angrily.

"I want you to walk over to the van. Alone! There's something I want you to see, in the back of the van."

"Give me one good reason why I should?"

It all went quiet. Jo was beginning to think the person had hung up on her. "Hello!" she said, "Hello!"

~0~0~

Mac had quickly realised he didn't want Jo standing outside on her own. He was almost jogging down the corridor as he made his way to the front of the hospital.

~0~0~

Jo was staring at the black van, waiting for the caller to answer her back. Finally, unable to take the silence anymore she asked, "Are you still there you asshole?"

"Mommy!"

Jo froze, her heart beating wildly, punching her chest so hard she thought it may break through it. "Ellie, sweetheart?"

"Mom!"

Jo felt sick when she heard Tyler's voice also come over the phone. She began charging towards the black van. "That a girl!" the voice said to her.

She was a few steps away from the van when the side door flew open. She froze and looked into it, saw Tyler and Ellie lying in the back. They were both tied up and now had tape over their mouths. She was about to move towards the van again when someone stepped in front of her. She never saw the gun, just heard the bang and felt the punch of the bullet as it hit her shoulder.

She stumbled backwards and fell flat on her back. She could hear Tyler's cries of protest, muffled through the tape. The pain in her shoulder and the fear for her children brought tears to her eyes. Through blurred vision she saw someone stand over her, pointing a gun at her.

She could hear both Ellie and Tyler screaming as she glared up at the mask wearing figure. She wished the door to the van would close. She didn't want her children to see her shot and killed. Another shot rang out, she waited to feel pain, _but it never came. _

Her head was spinning with pain so what happened next seemed to happen in a total blur. She heard the door to the van slam shut and tires screech as the van sped off. She tried to push herself up as quick as she could.

~0~0~

Mac came to a stand still in the front entrance of the hospital and immediately saw Jo across from him. He saw the van turn and then come racing towards her. He wondered why she was just standing there. Without thinking he began running towards her.

~0~0~

Jo steadied herself and then stood there and just watched as the van sped towards her. She stood there like her body would act as a wall that would stop the van, she hoped that Ellie and Tyler may be able to get out then.

The van was just inches away from her when she felt the ground hit her body at full force. She barely had time to work out what had happened before she pushed Mac off of her and tried to crawl from between the two cars she had landed between when he had tackled her to the ground. She saw the back end of the van for just a second, then it disappeared out of the car park.

She tried pushing herself up but her arm gave beneath her and she fell flat on the floor again. "Tyler!" she screamed, "Ellie…. Bring them back..!" she yelled before her voice broke as sobs began to choke her.

Mac helped her to her knees and held her against him. She wrapped her arms around him, looking over his shoulder, wishing the van would return, as she cried.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo stormed into her apartment and kicked the door shut behind her. Mac managed to catch it before it slammed shut in his face. He walked in behind her and shut the door behind him. Jo heard him and stormed over to him, her body radiating with anger, her face showing it.

"Get out!" she yelled. Mac didn't answer her he just stood there, looking at her. "I said get out! I don't want you here, Mac! I don't want you anywhere near me!" she yelled.

He could see the tears in her eyes. It had been three hours since the incident in the car park and although they had dozens of teams searching for the van they had nothing, but the search continued.

Jo now had over a dozen stitches on the top of her left shoulder which had closed up the wound where a chunk of flesh was missing. The bullet Jo had been hit with had skimmed the top of her shoulder, and was just a through and through flesh wound, but it still hurt like hell. Even if she wouldn't admit it. _A few inches lower and Jo would still be in surgery right now. _

"Did you hear me? Get out!" Jo yelled at Mac again.

Mac continued to just stand there, then silently he shook his head. Jo let out an angry sigh before she turned her back on him and walked towards the bathroom. He heard the door slam shut and waited. He then heard the spray from the shower. Deciding he would wait he went and sat on the couch. He wasn't about to leave Jo, _they needed to talk._

In the bathroom, Jo had striped and was now stood in the shower under the hot spray. She sank down into the cubicle with the water still hitting her body. She brought her knees up against her body and rested her head on her knees and cried. Cried for her children who she prayed were okay.

~0~0~0~0~

It was just under a half hour later when Jo came out of the bathroom. She exhaled angrily when she saw Mac sitting on the couch. She gripped the towel around her body tighter and walked towards her bedroom, _Mac followed after her. _

"Mac, I thought I told you to go."

"We both know the second I leave here you will go looking for Tyler and Ell…."

"Don't you talk about them!" Jo snapped as she spun on her heels to face him, they were both now standing in her bedroom doorway. "Don't you dare say their names." Jo said as fresh tears stung her eyes.

"Jo…" Mac began to say.

"Mac! Why did you do that?" she yelled.

"Do what, Jo?" he asked in confusion.

"Push me out of the way of the van. Tyler and Ellie were in it." she cried.

"And you think that you getting mowed down by that van would have saved them somehow?"

"They're my babies, Mac! I have to save them somehow!"

"And you can only do that if you're alive." Mac pointed out to her.

Jo glared at him for a moment more before she felt her tears begin to fall faster, rebelliously. She turned, too exhausted to argue anymore. She went and sat on her bed. She sat there in silence for a moment before she covered her face with her right hand and began to cry. She kept thinking about Tyler and Ellie and thinking about them being hurt, or worse, and all because of her.

Mac walked over to her and slowly sat down next to her. Part of him felt like he was totally invading her private space, another part told him to hold her, comfort her. Another part of him thought maybe he should give her some space because she was clearly pissed at him.

But instead he found himself resting his hand on her knee. He could feel the warmth from her shower radiating from her skin and through her towel, it felt incredible against his hand. He was shocked when she rested her hand on his even though she continued to cry, she just looked away. Her right hand was the only one she had, it hurt too much to use her left arm - the one on which her shoulder had been injured.

Mac had to reach up and gently turn her head to face him. "I promise you I will help you get Tyler and Ellie back safe."

Jo appreciated his words and she knew Mac well enough to know he meant them. She moved her hand from off his and turned slightly and then placed her hand on his face. She buried her face against his chest as her tears continued to fall.

_**Looking out from underneath,**_

_**Fractured moonlight on the sea**_

Mac gently reached up and held her face, softly brushing his thumb over her cheek. Jo pulled back slightly to look him in the face. Mac looked straight back at her, getting lost in her eyes. It was only when he tried to look away that he noticed Jo was looking back at him the same.

_**Reflections still look the same to me,**_

_**As before I went under.**_

Without even knowing it their faces moved closer together. Mac felt Jo's lips brush against his, soft and enticing. He quickly found himself deepening the kiss, his body reacting the same way, wanting more. Jo felt the same thing.

_**And it's peaceful in the deep,**_

_**Cathedral where you cannot breathe,**_

_**No need to pray, no need to speak**_

_**Now I am under.**_

It had been a while since someone had kissed her, it had been even longer since she had kissed someone back. She found her body aching for more of Mac. She couldn't hold in the quiet moan when she felt him slip his hand under her towel, onto her thigh.

_**Oh, And it's breaking over me,**_

_**A thousand miles onto the sea bed,**_

_**Found the place to rest my head.**_

This kiss went on, getting more and more passionate. Jo suddenly found herself falling backwards on the bed, Mac's body was on top of hers and it felt amazing.

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

She tangled her right hand up in his hair, her left hand held onto his side, nowhere near as encouraging as her right hand was. Mac found himself desperate for Jo, for more of her touches, more of her body.

_**And the arms of the ocean are carrying me,**_

_**And all this devotion was rushing out of me,**_

He moved his kisses from her mouth and onto her neck, then down onto her chest, heard her moan in pleasure.

_**And the crashes are heaven, for a sinner like me,**_

_**The arms of the ocean deliver me.**_

He moved his kisses back up her neck and along her jaw, it was then he got a taste of her salty tears.

He pulled away from her and sat up straight, rubbing his eyes, trying to will away images of what he wanted to happen between him and Jo. Jo sat up and rested her hand on his chest, placing soft kisses on his shoulder. For a moment he didn't put up a protest, not even when she began unbuttoning his shirt. However, once she had fully unbuttoned it and placed her hand on his bare chest he had to stop her.

He peeled her hand away from his chest. "No, Jo." was all he said.

Jo ignored him as her tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She continued to kiss his shoulders, tried to put her hand back on his chest. She needed to feel the warmth of his skin against hers. She needed him so badly she could cry even harder than she already was.

"Jo, stop." Mac said as he stood up.

_**Though the pressure's hard to take,**_

_**It's the only way I can escape,**_

Jo sat on the bed and hid her face behind her hands. Mac could see she was still crying. He moved closer to her and grabbed her hands, carefully pulled them away from her tear stained face. "Jo, I can't let you and I do this. You're emotional. I won't take advantage of you while you're like this."

_**It seems a heavy choice to make,**_

_**Now I am under.**_

Jo had to laugh slightly, "What about if I beg you?" she asked. She felt pathetic doing so but she did anyway. "I need you Mac, I…I really don't want to be alone." she said as she looked up at him.

_**Oh, And it's breaking over me,**_

_**A thousand miles down to the sea bed,**_

_**Found the place to rest my head.**_

Mac cupped her face, one more brushed her cheeks with his thumb. Jo moved her face to kiss one of his thumbs. It was like an electric shock through his body. He reached down and met her lips with his. He kissed her lovingly as she unclipped his belt and unzipped his trousers.

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

They lay next to each other on her bed, Mac's body slightly covering hers, just kissing for a while. Mac's kisses seemed to heal her bruised and aching body. Each time a tear fell Mac would kiss it away and Jo soon found herself needing his body more than she had ever needed anything before.

_**And the arms of the ocean are carrying me,**_

_**And all this devotion was rushing out of me,**_

When she felt his hands slip inside her towel she put up no protest at all. His hand left a burning trail of pleasure as it travelled up the inside up her thigh and came up to rest on her hip, pulling it against his body. Jo felt him against her, hard and ready.

_**And the crashes are heaven, for a sinner like me,**_

"Mac, please." she begged, whispering into his ear as he kissed her throat and continued to move against her. Mac knew what she wanted. Throughout their kissing session Jo had removed his shirt, his trousers were undone and he felt her push them down his body, she wanted him and he wanted her just as badly.

_**The arms of the ocean deliver me.**_

He shuffled down the bed and pulled the towel that was wrapped around Jo's body apart. He took a second to just stare at her body, memorizing it. _It was perfect. _Her stomach was as perfectly toned and caramel coloured as her legs and he was surprised to see a small butterfly tattoo on her hip. He had to kiss it, he loved it. There was also a small scar on her stomach, he knew it was from an appendectomy. _He kissed that too. _

_**And it's over,**_

_**And I'm going under,**_

_**But I'm not giving up!**_

_**I'm just giving in.**_

He felt Jo's stomach buck against his kisses. Her skin smelt of her body-wash, floral and completing enticing. He gently gripped her sides as he pulled her torso up to meet his kisses. He moved his hands away from her sides and let his right hand trace up the inside of her thigh again, let it brush between her legs, making her moan and letting him know just how ready she was for him. He kicked his trousers and boxers off and moved to position himself above Jo.

_**Oh, slipping underneath.**_

_**Oh, so cold, but so sweet.**_

He looked down at her beneath him, kissed her on the lips as he pushed himself inside her, softly but enough to make her moan into the kiss. They fit together perfectly, like a puzzle. It was a total turn on and he pushed into her again, slightly harder. He felt her legs wrap around him and thrust harder into her. It was passionate but it was full of emotion.

_**In the arms of the ocean, so sweet and so cold,**_

_**And all this devotion I never knew at all,**_

Their kisses stopped and Jo rested her forehead against Mac's chest as he moved inside her, harder and faster. She'd never been so pleasured by a man this way and felt herself quickly falling deep over the edge.

_**And the crashes are Heaven, for a sinner released,**_

_**And the arms of the ocean,**_

Mac felt her body tighten around him and it was all he needed he needed to take him over the edge with her.

_**Deliver me.**_

They climaxed together, both moaning and gasping in pleasure. Mac reached down and kissed her as he spilled into her. He felt so complete inside her.

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

He never wanted this moment to end.

_**And it's over,**_

_**And I'm goin' under,**_

_**But I'm not givin' up!**_

_**I'm just givin' in.**_

Jo could only look up at him, out of breath. After a moment she reached up and pulled his mouth back to hers and began kissing him again, she too wasn't ready for the moment to end.

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

_**Never let me go, never let me go.**_

_**Oh, slipping underneath.**_

_**Oh, so cold, but so sweet…**_

**TBC**

**Hope it wasn't too graphic but by God these two need to get it on and since the show hasn't done it I figured I would. I know it might seem inappropriate timing but sometimes emotion wins over what is appropriate and what is not and that's what I wanted to show here. **

**Thanks for reading, please review. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews, they've been awesome.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

**Chapter 5**

Jo was lay with her head resting on Mac's shoulder, her arm draped across his stomach. He had his arms protectively wrapped around her naked body. She had to slip out of his arms when she heard her phone vibrating on the bedside cabinet. She grabbed the phone, happy to see that it hadn't woke Mac.

She grabbed a pair of grey sweat pants and a white tank top out of the bottom drawer as she answered the phone in a whispered voice. "Jo Danville." she said, praying it would be her children's captor.

"We speak again." the voice said.

"What took you so long?" Jo asked as she stepped out of her bedroom, closing the door over behind her. She struggled to put her clothes on as she rested the phone between her shoulder and her ear.

"I was too busy enjoying the show. I gotta say Jo, that tattoo on your stomach…."

Jo spun around on the spot, expecting to see him somewhere inside her apartment. "You sick son-of-a-bitch! Where are my children?" she snapped angrily, humiliated and suddenly feeling more than dirty.

"If you want to see them you come outside, get in the van and don't wake up your fuck-buddy. You screw this one up Jo and me and little Ellie will be getting to know each other as good as you and your boss just have."

"You touch her and I swear to God I'll tear you apart!"

"I'm sure you would, but I don't see why. She clearly isn't your actual child."

"Yes she is!"

"Whatever. Look, I slipped a letter under your front door. Read it." Jo turned and saw the envelope on the floor. She crept over to it and picked it up. She rested the phone between her shoulder and her ear again as she opened it, it was a picture. A picture of Lindsay, Lucy and Danny at the park, they clearly hadn't seen the person taking the picture. They were all laughing as Danny held Lucy up in the air, much to her delight. She pulled out the note and silently read the words. _"Shame to see something happen to them! Come alone and it won't."_

"You stay the hell away from them!" Jo ordered angrily.

"Get your fine ass down here now, and alone, and I'll leave them alone!"

Jo hung up and looked towards her bedroom, Mac hadn't come out so she knew he was still asleep. She took another look at the picture… _She wouldn't put the Messer's in danger._ She glanced at her phone, the screen now blank. She sat and let her mind race, let her thoughts run wild.

After a moment or two she put her phone down on the coffee table, on top of the letter, and pushed herself up. She grabbed a pair of pumps from near the front door and silently slipped out into the hallway.

~0~0~0~0~

It was dark on the street and the night air was cold against her bare arms. It nipped at Jo's body, biting right through the thin cloth of her sweats and tank. She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she had her gun, but she didn't, he had it; had used it to shoot her.

She could see the side door of the van was open. As she got up to it she could see it was empty. She looked into the drivers cabin and saw that too was empty. She stumbled forward, fast, as hands slammed into her back. She fell face forward into the back of the van. It shocked her when two people climbed in, one pulling her body fully in as the other slammed the door shut behind them.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac stirred awake and reached out to feel the empty spot beside him. He lay his palm on the sheets next to him; they still felt warm. He pushed himself to the side of the bed and pulled his boxers and trousers on. A muffled bang suddenly caught his attention. "JO!" he called out. _Nothing. _

He pushed himself up off the bed and stepped out of her bedroom. "JO!" he called again. _Nothing._

~0~0~0~0~

Jo could only lay there, angrily, as heavy hands held her down. She cried out in agony when one of her attackers pulled her arms behind her back. Her shoulder burned with pain and she felt some of the stitches burst open, followed by the feel of warm blood pooling around her shoulder. She heard and felt cable ties pull tight around her wrists. She could only continue to lay there, pinned beneath one of the bodies of her captors as another cable tie was fixed around her wrists. _They were clearly making sure she didn't have the use of her arms._

She was flipped over and met by a masked face. The cold air hit her body as the side door opened up as one of the captors jumped out. She could tell by the muscular build of the people that they were both male. "Finally!" the one straddling her said. "We meet."

~0~0~0~0~

Mac heard another bang, realising it came from outside he ran over to the bedroom window. He looked straight down at the van and watched as someone jumped out the back and pulled the side door shut before they climbed in the drivers door. He took off running from Jo's apartment as the door slammed shut.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo tired to wriggle free from under the man crushing her body. His response was to punch her hard in the stomach. It knocked the wind right out of her. She'd barely caught her breath when she felt the sharp pain of a back-hander across her face. Her cheek burned with pain and her eye began to water. "You're gonna suffer, bitch! Then, you're gonna die!" the man growled at her before his fist connected with her face with a deafening crunch.

She was too out of it try to stop him when he pushed a bottle into her mouth. She choked on the water that splashed out of it and into her throat. He kept pouring it in and she had no choice but to swallow it before her mouth was filled up again with more water. When he moved the bottle he pinched her nose and covered her mouth. She had to swallow the rest of the water in her mouth, only when she had did he let go.

"That'a girl." he muttered to her, patting her face, a little too hard.

~0~0~0~0~

The van pulled out into the street just as Mac ran out of Jo's building. He tried chasing after it, running as fast as he could calling out Jo's name at the top of his lungs. "JO!" It was no good, the van sped off at full speed, "Jo!" he had no chance of keeping up. "Damn-it!" he yelled as he stood in the street and watched the van disappear out of sight.

~0~0~0~0~

It had taken under a half hour for the entire team to get to Jo's place. Danny and Lindsay were the last to arrive having had to first drop Lucy off at the sitters. On their way in they had come past officers questioning Jo's neighbours, pretty much all of whom had seen nothing. Inside Jo's apartment Mac was stood, now fully dressed, behind the kitchen counter.

Lindsay and Danny walked in and saw their colleagues standing around, waiting for them so they could continue. "We got here as quick as we could." Danny said apologetically.

"You're here now." Mac replied a little sharply.

"I heard back from the camp Ellie was at, no one saw her get snatched but cameras by the main exit show Ellie lying asleep, we can only presume drugged, in the back of a car. There is a male driver and we managed to get a picture but there was no match in the system. The teacher who was keeping an eye on Ellie was found murdered." Flack said.

"Great. So we still have no idea who took Ellie or Tyler and who now has Jo." Mac said angrily. The others could all see his frustration, none of them used to seeing him so lost

~0~0~0~0~

Jo came too, slowly and nauseatingly. She tried to move but she felt dizzy, she wasn't sure if _she_ was spinning or the room _was_.

"Hey! Wake up! Come on!" the voice she had heard on the phone said to her.

Jo forced her eyes open again. They felt heavy and it was exhausting just to keep them open.

"Did you measure how much you gave her?" another voice said, this one Jo hadn't heard yet. It sounded older than the voice she had heard on the phone.

"Of course I measured it." the other man snapped back.

"If you gave her too much…"

"She'd be dead or still outta it by now." the younger man said.

Jo's vision began to clear, as did her head. She looked up and found the masked face glaring down at her again. She knew she'd lost time, she wasn't sure how much. She suddenly remembered the water she had been forced to drink. "GHB?" she said knowingly.

"You bet, homemade batch made just for you." the man said to her as he nudged her with his foot. "Are you awake properly now?" he asked her.

Jo rolled onto her side and began to push herself up. She faintly heard the click of a lock turning in a door. She looked up and found herself staring right down into a dark basement. She then felt a shove in her back before she felt a whoosh of air. She landed on the basement stairs about halfway down and continued to tumble down them, hearing a snap before she landed at the bottom of them.

Her head hit the floor with a sickening thud. It took a painful second for everything to go black. She was out cold again.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was over seeing everything. He knew his team was the best but he couldn't help remind them how to do their job. "Lindsay, make sure you dust every inch of the window frame, if he came in through there or Jo went out of it I want to know."

Lindsay just nodded, any other time she may have made some sort off comment about knowing how to do her job but today she smiled and kept quiet. Mac looked up to see Flack walk into Jo's bedroom, he followed after him; not knowing that the others all saw him do so.

Flack was stood by the window, checking it over. He hesitated for a second to watch the team outside who were processing the scene down there...He wondered if the team outside had as found as much as they had here inside, which was nothing. He suddenly noticed something on the window sill, a cigarette butt. He pulled the window open and carefully placed the butt into an evidence bag.

He could imagine how the abduction could have taken place. _The man stood out on the fire escape, finishing off his cigarette and watching Jo as she slept. He stubbed his cigarette out on the window and quietly forced the window open, creeping in as Jo continued to sleep. Moving across the room in silence before lunging at Jo…_

Flack looked up out of his thoughts when he heard a floorboard creak behind him. He turned to see Mac standing by the bed. "This could be how he got in; leads right onto the fire escape." he said, regarding the window, to Mac who was just staring at the bed.

Mac was looking down at the crumpled sheets, remembering how they had come to be that way. He closed his eyes and could suddenly see Jo lying beneath his body as he moved inside her. He inhaled and could smell her body-wash again like she was right there beneath him. He could feel her fingers stroking his shoulder as he kissed her neck, her skin soft as feathers against his lips. He could hear her moaning his name as she climaxed. His lips then met hers and he kissed her, loving every second of it.

"MAC!" Flack had to say loudly, just below shouting level.

Mac glanced up at him, blushing, slightly embarrassed that he had let himself get so lost in his memory. "Prints will tell us if he came in through this window. It could be a possibility, I found a cigarette butt on the outside…" Flack said before he looked at the bed. "There looks like there could have been some sort of struggle here. The sheets are all crumpled and twisted. I hate to be the one to say it but what if our guy came in here, found Jo in bed sleeping, and began to attack her? Maybe she called out for you and he left, taking her with him when he realised that there was another cop in the apartment."

"No." was all Mac said.

"Like I said, I hate to say it Mac, but this guy is a rapist, a violent one at that. I think we should check the sheets for semen…"

"He's always used a condom when he raped the other woman." Mac argued.

"Still, its worth eliminating it."

"If I though it was worth the time I'd say go ahead." Mac said as he stared at Flack.

Flack looked down at the bed, then around the room, his eyes came back to meet Mac's. "Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked.

Mac just looked at him, unsure what to say or whether to say anything at all. Flack took a step closer to him, whispered, "You wouldn't be the first people who work together at the lab to have a relationship."

Mac hesitated then said, "I know Jo wasn't taken from here because I was still in here. When I woke up she had gotten out of bed. I heard the van, but I didn't hear anyone come in."

Flack looked at him, understanding that Mac didn't yet want to expose fully what had obviously happened between him and Jo. "He must have gotten in some other way." Flack agreed.

Mac smiled at him and stood there as Flack stepped around him, heading out of the room. He stopped just behind Mac and said, "For the record, I think whatever's going on between you and Jo is great. She's amazing and you deserve someone like that." he said with a friendly smile, that Mac turned and saw, before leaving Mac alone in the room.

Mac turned and sat down on the bed. He let himself fall back, his head crashing down on the pillow. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before he turned his head to the side. He closed his eyes and saw Jo, began to remember the nights earlier events again.

_They were both out of breath when Mac pulled out of her. Both of them were exhausted, their bodies soaked with perspiration._ _Mac moved off Jo and lay down on his back next to her on the bed. After a moment, he turned to face Jo who was staring up at the ceiling, rubbing her temple. "You okay?" he asked. _

_She turned to face him and smiled, reached out and lovingly stroked his face. "Yeah, but does the fact that I just made love when my children are missing make me the worlds worst mother? She asked, looking into Mac's eyes. _

"_No. You're a fantastic mother Jo. Your kids can tell you that when we find them. Flack is working on finding them as we speak. So, get some sleep and in a few hours we can get back to helping him." Mac said. _

_Jo nodded but couldn't stop the tears that began to build up in her eyes. Mac saw and pulled her into his arms. Jo quickly buried her face against this chest as her tears began to fall. "I want them back." she cried, her whole body trembling, "I want them in my arms, safe." she said as he rubbed her back and stroked her hair as she clung onto him_

As he turned to look back up at ceiling, Mac couldn't help but think about how he wanted Jo back, wanted her in his arms, safe. He prayed she was safe wherever she was, prayed they would find her and the kids soon.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo woke up to find herself still lying at the bottom of the stairs. As soon as she came too the blinding pain in her wrist made her whimper in pain. She looked at it and saw it had an odd shape to it, judging by that and the pain, she knew it was broken. _That had been the snap she'd heard. _She looked up the stairs when she heard a door open. Her heart began to beat faster when she saw two people make their way down the stairs towards where she still lay.

She rolled onto her side and tried to push herself up as quick as she could. She'd just made it to hand, unable to use her left wrist, and knees when a hard swift kick landed in her ribs. It knocked her straight back flat on the floor. She groaned in pain and held her wrist as it throbbed with nauseating pain.

She shuffled onto her back and looked up. She saw two faces looking down at her, glaring at her. A hatred so strong in their eyes that she felt their stare burning into her. "Pull her up." the older voiced man ordered.

The other man reached down and grabbed a handful of Jo's hair. She had to yelp in pain as he dragged her to her feet. He held her in front of him for a moment and as she stared at his face she truly believed that the man in front of her was looking out of John Curtis' eyes, they were just the same; dark and empty, evil. "Who are you?" she asked him.

The man pulled off his ski mask, "I'm Samuel Curtis." he informed her before he spun her round so that she now faced the older man who had also taken his ski mask off. "And this is our father, who my brother was named after, John Curtis. My twin brother that you murdered."

Jo looked at the man then craned her neck to look at Samuel again. He and John were clearly identical twins and evidently got their looks from their father who was an older, greyer version of them. Jo turned to see the older man step closer to her. All she could do was stand there, thanks to the painful grip Samuel had on her arms.

"You took my son from me." he said to her, glaring at her.

"Your son was a violent rapist." she spat at him. "He would have killed me if I hadn't of shot him." she told him.

"I don't care. Eye for an eye…" he said before his arm whipped out at her. His fist connected hard with her face just at the moment Samuel let her go, letting her fall to the floor. "…tooth for a tooth…" he said.

He and Samuel both looked down where she lay on the floor, blood trickling from her nose, struggling to get back up. "Get her kids." John said to Samuel.

Jo's heart pounded harder than it already was hearing his words. She looked up at John only to see his foot come soaring towards her face.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was stood in Jo's living room with the team. He looked at them, hating that two very important people from it weren't there, Jo and Adam. Flack had gathered prints from the window in Jo's bedroom. Only finding them on the outside.

It was also Flack who had noticed the envelope beneath Jo's phone on the coffee table. After having opened and read it out loud to the others they had all come to the same conclusion...Jo left the apartment on her own.

"She went because he threatened us and Lucy." Lindsay said, guilt evident in her voice.

"Yeah and I plan on thanking her for the rest of my life as soon as we get her back." Danny said, the same guilt in his voice.

"He gave her no choice." Hawkes said.

"Yes she did, she chose to protect us." Danny said.

"Jo wanted us to know that's what happened, maybe that's why she left the note under her phone." Hawkes said.

It was then that Mac turned to see Jo's phone lying on the coffee table in an evidence bag. He knew they would wait until they could get back to the lab to hook it up to a computer to get all the details off it, but something told him to check it out now.

He walked over to the bag and picked it up. The others watched as he pulled open the evidence bag and reached in and grabbed her phone.

"What are you looking for?" Flack asked.

"The killer left Jo a note, maybe she left us one." he said as he unlocked the screen on her phone, immediately the note app showed up. It was clearly intended for them to find. He could imagine her sat writing it

_Jo was letting her thoughts run a million miles an hour through her head, then, like a light bulb coming on she had a thought. She opened up the notes app on her phone and began typing, praying she wasn't being watched. She then put her phone down on the coffee table and over walked to the door…_

Mac quickly read the note and then re-read it out loud for the others to hear. "_Mac, sorry to ignore your orders. I know you didn't want me going anywhere alone, I hope you understand why I did_. _A mother will do anything to protect her children and a friend will do anything to protect the ones she loves." _he glanced up at Lindsay and Danny.

"She was protecting us." Lindsay said, turning and hugging Danny as she buried her face in his chest. She was feeling eternally grateful but also tremendously guilty.

"_In case something happens, it was an honour working with you all. Take care. Jo_."

For a moment there was a silence that fell over them, over the apartment but they all looked up when they heard some sort of commotion in the hall outside Jo's front door. Mac was first to recognise the man who ran in.

"Jo! Where the hell is she?" Russ Josephson, Jo's ex-husband shouted at no one in particular. "Is she here? Does she really think its ok to just leave a voicemail telling me about Tyler! JO!" he yelled, frantic but also clearly pissed off.

"Russ, she's not here!" Mac yelled after him as Russ stormed around Jo's apartment, determined to find her

"JO!" he yelled louder.

"She isn't here!" Mac yelled at him. Shocking them all.

"Where is she?" Russ asked, suddenly confused that the whole team was in her apartment.

"She was abducted, by the same person who has Tyler and Ellie."

"She should have told me about them." Russ yelled.

"She tried. I was right there with her when she tried calling you over and over…" Mac snapped.

Russ seemed momentarily hurt, he knew there was something between Jo and Mac, had sensed it the first time he saw them together. "I'm sure you were, holding her hand. You two are real close aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mac asked, annoyed.

"How long after she started working at the lab did you start fucking her?" Russ yelled.

The conversation made them all feel awkward but it was Danny and Flack who took a step towards Mac, noticing how his hand suddenly balled into a fist. Mac sensed them coming towards him and held up his hand to stop them. He had more important things to do, like finding Jo, Tyler and Ellie, than knocking Russ's light out which is what he really wanted to do.

"I respect Jo. I see the person she is, the person she wants to be. You just saw her as an accessory, one that men _had_ to know belonged to you. You just wanted her to play the good wife. You didn't care what she wanted." Mac stated.

"You think you know so much about mine and Jo's marriage?"

"She's told me everything." Mac informed him.

"I bet she has. Look you want Jo…you can have her but I want my son back and I want to know what you are all doing to find him!"

"Everything we can." Mac told him.

"Well when you find him, you give him right back to me. I'm taking him outta New York. Jo's never been fit to be a mother, this just proves it. I should never have let her get custody of him, and to think they let her adopt Ellie too!" Russ went on angrily.

"You really are clueless! Jo has put herself into the hands of a killer tonight, not just to protect her children but someone else's too. So don't you dare stand there and call her an unfit mother, because you have no idea." Mac said before walking out. They were finished here anyway. The others followed after him, each one of them glaring at Russ.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo was lay on the floor, spitting out the blood that kept gathering in her mouth. Her lip was split wide open and there was a laceration on her gum that continued to seep blood into her mouth. The taste of which was beginning to knock her sick.

She looked up and managed to push herself up when Tyler and Ellie came walking down the stairs. Samuel had his arm wrapped around a crying Ellie with Jo's gun in his other hand, rested against Ellie's head.

"You have me now. Let them go." Jo asked, her fear for her children's safety over powering the immense pain it caused her just to speak.

"I don't think so." Samuel said with a smirk.

Jo turned and watched as John grabbed Tyler and pushed him down to his knees. He whipped a gun from out of the back of his trousers, armed it and aimed it at the back of Tyler's head.

"No!" Jo screamed, "Please don't!" she begged as she stepped towards John.

"Why? It's what you did to my son. I would say this is divine justice."

"Don't hurt my brother!" Ellie cried.

Jo looked at her daughter, saw the fear on her face. "Let them go, you can do whatever you want to me. I killed your son, not them. They're just kids!"

John glared at Tyler before he looked up at Jo who just stared back at him. "Please, let them go. Do what you want to me." she said again.

"I was planning on it." he said before he aimed the gun and pulled the trigger.

The room was filled with screams, a loud _bang_ and then a thud as a body hit the floor.

**TBC**

**Who got shot? I was originally planning on having Jo abducted later but I brought it forward because there will be more twists to this story yet. **

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews guys. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 6**

Jo lay there for a second, waiting for the pain to pass. Even though she knew it was pain that wasn't about to pass without some good strong pain medication. She reached down and placed her hand on her shot leg, her outer thigh. Just to touch it hurt like hell an she cried out in pain, tears stinging her eyes.

As she continued to hold her leg, she could feel her blood spilling out of the wound, seeping through her fingers. She was in far more than agony but it was something she had to push aside. She looked up to see Tyler looking at her. She could see his lips moving but she couldn't hear his words. Her head was ringing too loudly with pain. She turned to look at Ellie, it broke her heart to see the tears streaming down her daughters face.

She closed her eyes for a minute and thought back to a case she had worked her first year at the crime lab. The case had started off as a missing persons but had turned out to be so much more, a revenge killing. She remembered back to what she had said to the perp in the interview room.

'_God himself could not save someone who wanted to hurt my family. I would make them suffer like they had never suffered before. I would need them to feel the unrelenting pain that I felt…'_

When she opened her eyes she heard all the sounds around her again, her children crying. She heard John say, "I'll take these two back upstairs. You keep an eye on her."

Sam nodded and practically threw Ellie into John's arms. John placed his gun against her temple, adding to Jo's anger. John turned to look at Tyler and told him, "Move, or I will shoot her."

He nodded and obeyed, unwilling to put Ellie's life in danger. He began making his way up the stairs and Jo could see he was limping; he was hurt and it made her blood boil.

"Wait..!" Samuel called out to John. "What am I supposed to do with her?" he asked.

John turned to face him, glared at Jo then said, "I'm sure you'll think of something."

His words made a cold shiver shoot down Jo's spine. She looked up at Samuel who was staring down at her, a sadistic smile spreading across his face.

~0~0~0~0~

Lindsay was looking at the computer screen, waiting for it to change, tell her it had made a mistake. She had been so determined to find Jo, she owed it to her, but the damn test kept coming back this way. _She was sure it had to be wrong._

Mac walked into the lab and saw the confusion on her face. "What is it?" he asked her.

"I ran the DNA sample we got from off the cigarette butt, that Flack found on Jo's bedroom window-sill, and I got a hit." she told him.

"That's great!" he said as he looked at the computer screen, but staring back at him was John Curtis. Mac instantly remembered back to the night he had watched John Curtis led out to a police car. Jo had stood on the steps of the precinct watching him. The way Curtis had glared back at Jo had raised loud and frantic alarm bells in Mac's head and he had been right, not long after Curtis had attacked Jo.

He looked back at the screen and suddenly shared the same confused look as Lindsay. "This can't be. John Curtis is dead. I saw his body, Lindsay. I checked for a pulse, there wasn't one. I watched him get loaded into the back of the coroners van. God, I even went down to the morgue and saw this son-of-a-bitch lying on a slab."

The memory of that instantly shot back to him…

_Mac walked into the morgue. It was quiet in there, more so than usual. Sid was stood by the table, making notes. Mac hesitated at the door before moving over to the table. "Hey Sid." he said, making the older man turn to face him. _

"_Mac." Sid said, shocked to see him. He figured he'd amuse him though. "I'm finished up here. It was a bullet to the heart that killed him. The wound to his shoulder would have been painful but if Jo hadn't fired again then he could have easily gone on to…." Sid had to stop himself as Mac glanced up at him. He didn't need to hear what Curtis would have ended up putting Jo through had he lived on to do so. _

"_How's she doing?" Sid asked, changing the subject from Curtis. _

"_She's pretty badly roughed up. She's at home, her Mothers come to take care of her. She should be fine in a couple of days…except for the bruising."_

"_I'm just glad its not her here on my table. This could have so easily gone in another direction, Mac. But, at least it's all over now." Sid said. _

_Mac just looked at him, before looking back down at the pale face of John Curtis…._

"Have you re-tested it?" Mac asked Lindsay.

"Twice." she told him. "Either John Curtis is still alive somehow or…"

"Or he shares the same DNA with another person."

"There are only two people who can share the same DNA." Lindsay said.

"John Curtis has an identical twin." Mac confirmed. "Get Adam to run a search through the DMV, I want to know if we're right and if we are I want the address!" he said as he rushed out of the room and into his office. _They were going to need back-up._

~0~0~0~0~

Jo had waited, listening until John, Tyler and Ellie were out of the basement before she pushed herself up onto her feet. She couldn't take any weight on her left leg, the one that had a bullet lodged in it, so her body weight was all resting on her right leg. The pain she was in really was excruciating but she just kept thinking about her children and getting them away from here, _somewhere safe. _She looked Samuel square in the eyes, glared at him with every ounce of anger she felt towards him.

Samuel walked slowly over to her. "What does it take to keep you down?" he asked her.

Jo snarled at him and continued to glare at him, wishing looks could kill. Samuel glared right back at her before he quickly swung his arm out, aimed at her face. Jo managed to block the blow with her arm. It clearly shocked him, but it obviously infuriated him more. She didn't move quick enough to stop his foot slamming into her shot leg. She couldn't hold in the scream of pain that burst from her throat.

She fell forward into him, clutching her leg, only to have him push her backwards. She crashed to the floor again, landing awkwardly on what she guessed were already cracked ribs. She silently screamed inwards at the pain that radiated through her leg, her ribs, her wrist, her entire body. But she did so for only a moment before she began to push herself back up.

She couldn't hold another scream of pain in as Samuel kicked her leg again before stomping on it, pressing his foot down as hard as he could. "Stop!" Jo screamed, unable to stop herself. The pain brought fresh tears to her eyes. Samuel finally moved his foot away but only to use it to flip Jo onto her back. He crouched down above her, straddled her.

She immediately began trying to hit him, with the only arm she could. His body was heavy on top of her beaten body, she felt crushed beneath him. She yelped in pain when he knelt on her legs and grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the floor above her head. He held both her wrists in one hand and reached behind his back.

Jo's heart skipped a beat when she saw the knife he pulled out. He tucked it into the top of her shirt and tugged on it, ripping her shirt open; exposing her chest and far too much cleavage. "Get off!" she yelled at him.

"When I'm done." he spat back at her.

He placed the knife against her throat and let go of her wrists, only so he could unbuckle his belt and unzip his trousers. Jo instantly knew what he was planning and there wasn't a snowflakes chance in hell she would let it happen. With his trousers pulled down slightly he placed his hand on Jo's shoulder, pinning her down more than he already was. He moved the knife away from her throat and placed the blade on her chest, above the top swell of her breast. "You killed my brother. You sinned." he said to her.

Jo remembered all the bodies this case had turned up, thought of the word _'Sinner' _that had been carved on all their chests. The same word she presumed would be carved on hers now. She immediately tried to wriggle free from underneath Samuel, but he just smirked, looking down at her. "Keep moving bitch, it feels great." he said to her as he bucked against her.

Jo felt like throwing up, his words knocked her sick, what was worse she could feel how good it felt for him. His hard cock was pressed against her inner thigh. "Get off me!" she screamed louder at him again.

His reply was to press the blade into the flesh of her chest. She cried out in pain as he dragged the blade along in a somewhat zigzag motion. He lifted the blade slightly, moved it across and pressed it down again, making a straight but slow cut. Next came another zigzag motion. She could feel the letters he was carving into her _'S', 'I', 'N'_

Jo lay there trying not to scream in pain as Samuel continued his torture. She tried to put her thoughts somewhere else, away from the pain she was feeling but what flashed to her mind was thinking of her children having been injured by this scumbag. She also thought about Adam, who was lying in a hospital bed because of this same scumbag, and the threat he had made against Lindsay, Danny and Lucy; along with the danger he had put Mac in. Then there was the women he had killed. _All this gave Jo a new found strength. _

She reached up and scratched Samuel's face, hard, right across his eye. He yelped like a whipped dog. Jo didn't waste a second, she hit out at him again and to her delight he tumbled sideways off her. She rolled away from him and pushed herself up, just as he went to grab her she kicked out at him. Her foot connected hard with his face and he fell back, clutching what she hoped was a broken nose.

She turned and ran towards the stairs, ran up them as fast as she possibly could, almost having to drag herself up them. She got to the top and ran through the door. She found herself back in the kitchen. She quickly shut the door and was surprised to see the key still in the lock. She turned it and threw it across the kitchen. Just to be safe she grabbed a dining chair and jammed it under the door knob.

She then turned and began limping out of the kitchen. She remembered John having said he was taking the kids back upstairs so it was more stairs she was nowlooking for. She had just reached the kitchen door when a thought occurred to her.

She turned again and limped over to one of the drawers, she ripped it open to find it full of dishcloths, _not what she wanted. _She moved another drawer and ripped that one open and immediately saw what she was looking for. She reached into the drawer and pulled out the biggest knife she could find, then she went off to find the stairs again.

She found them out in the hallways, they were narrow and steep. As she began to climb up them the pain it caused her made her want to throw up or cry out in pain, but right now she was like a lioness, ready to kill for her cubs. _Again the pain she felt was pushed aside and replaced with anger and adrenaline. _

She made it to the top of the stairs and said a silent _'thank you' _to God. She wasn't sure which direction to go in but she listened to her gut which told her to go left. Slowly she crept down the hallway. As she neared a door she heard muffled voices. She moved closer to it, trying not to make a sound.

She suddenly saw things begin to sway around her, making her feel like she was on a dinghy boat in the middle of a huge storm out at sea. She had to put her hand out and grab the wall. She didn't feel herself topple over, just felt the wall as she fell against it. She struggled to stay stood up as everything continued to spin and sway around her. Finally the feeling passed. She looked down at her leg, blood was running down it in a steady trickle. She turned to see the blood trail she'd left behind her.

She knew that she couldn't stay conscious much longer, her leg was bleeding too badly. But she wouldn't allow herself to give into it yet. With her adrenaline flowing she stepped in front of the door where she could still hear the voices coming from inside.

She reached down and was about to push it open when it opened up. John stood there, momentarily shocked to see her. She lunged at him with an angry growl but he grabbed her arm and slammed her back against the wall behind her. She groaned in more pain as she heard her shoulder blades crunch, _it hurt like hell. _

John went to punch her in the face but she swung the knife down. He howled in pain as it stabbed into his shoulder. Without hesitation she pulled it out of him and brought it back down, this time it stabbed into his back. He stumbled back from her, moaning in pain. Jo pushed herself away from the wall and barged him out of the way. She ran straight into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Mom!" both Tyler and Ellie shouted.

Jo moved over to Tyler as quick as she could and used the knife to cut through the rope around his wrists. Once they were free she passed him the knife, "Sweetheart, cut the tape around your ankles." she told him before she limped over to Ellie who was sat on a chair.

She wrapped her arms around her and pulled her against her. She held her for a moment before Tyler came up behind her. "Mom, your leg!" he said placing his hand on her side to steady her as she swayed, suddenly light-headed again.

"I fine, sweetheart." she lied, placing her hand on her head, silently begging the swaying to stop.

Tyler hardly believed her but he let go of her so he could use the knife to free Ellie. He had her free by the time Jo's head cleared again. Ellie wrapped her arms around Jo as if holding on for dear life. "It's okay, baby." Jo said reassuringly. "We need to find a way out of here. Tyler that window, how far a drop is it onto the street?" she said as she took the knife from him.

Tyler limped over to the window and looked out. Jo saw his shoulders sink, as if disappointed by what he saw. "Too high." he said as he turned to face her.

They all jumped as the door swung open before slamming into the wall behind it. Jo grabbed Tyler and pulled him behind her along with Ellie. She stood like a protective barrier in front of them. John stepped into the room, clearly pissed off.

"Where's Samuel?" he growled at her.

"Why don't you go check on him." Jo snapped angrily.

John had the gun in his hand, he reached it up and pointed it at Jo. "If you've hurt him!"

"He was just a little bruised and bloody when I left him." she snapped. "Like I said, why don't you go check on him. Id hate him to choke on his own blood!"

"I'll check on him as soon as I've dealt with you." he said as he aimed the gun at her. "You killed my boy and I am going to kill you."

Jo watched as his finger squeezed the trigger. The sound of sirens made both her and John look at the window. John moved over to it, still pointing the gun at Jo. He looked onto the street as a dozen police cars pulled up outside.

"Damn-it!" he roared angrily. He moved away from the window and stormed over to Jo. He grabbed her hand holding the knife and began squeezing and bending it. The knife fell from her hand and landed on the floor by her feet. John then reached out and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her against him so her back was pressed against his chest.

"Get off her!" Tyler yelled at him as he lunged at John. John whipped his arm out, hitting Tyler hard in the head with the butt of the gun in his hand.

Tyler fell to the floor. "Tyler!" Jo screamed, seeing the blood that seeped from a nasty gash.

John began dragging her away from Tyler and Ellie and out of the room. Jo struggled against him. She needed to get back to Tyler and Ellie. John dragged her across the hallway. He suddenly spun around to face the front door in the hallway below as it swung open with a loud crash. A team of armed officers ran in. _Mac, Danny and Flack also ran in._

It was Mac who spotted Jo first, she was looking down at him with fear and pain evident in her eyes. Immediately he aimed his gun up at John. "Freeze!" he yelled, signalling to everyone where Jo and John were. "This is over now Mr Curtis, let her go!"

"She killed my son! She has to be punished for that!" John yelled angrily.

Mac looked at Jo, she looked a mess, bloodied, bruised and slipping out of it. "Lower your gun Mr Curtis!" Mac warned him.

John shook his head and moved the gun up towards Jo's temple.

"Mr Curtis!" Flack warned, knowing what was about to go down.

Danny readied his aim as John moved the gun closer to Jo's temple.

To Mac it all seemed to be going in slow motion. He aimed his gun at John and pulled hard on the trigger. John Curtis stumbled back, his arm dropping away from Jo who immediately dropped to the floor. Immediately a shower of gun shots rained over John, multiple bullets burying themselves into him. He stepped forward, his arm held out, his gun pointed down at Jo who lay on the floor.

Another bullet soared through the air before it bit into John's body and he toppled forward into the banister. He toppled straight over it. His body fell through the air before it hit the floor in front of Mac and the others with a loud thud.

"Mom!"

Ellie's scream made Mac look up from John Curtis Senior's body. He began running up the stairs towards Jo. He was followed by Flack and then Danny, who couldn't help but notice the trail of blood.

Mac ran right up to Jo and dropped to his knees by her side. She was lay still, her eyes closed. Ellie was holding her hand as tears streamed down her face. Tyler was calling out her name, panicking that she wasn't responding in the slightest.

"Jo, Jo!" Mac began, "Jo, please, talk to me. Say something." he begged.

Mac placed his fingers on Jo's neck, he was trying to find a pulse, but he couldn't. Danny had his hand placed over the gunshot wound on Jo's thigh, trying to stop the bleeding. "We need a medic!" he yelled.

Mac continued trying to find Jo's pulse. "Jo, come on. Please, please talk to me. Please say something." he said as two medics ran up behind them, luckily they had been called as back-up to.

Mac watched as they placed an oxygen mask on Jo, began working on her. His heart was racing. _"There's a pulse, it weak. We need to move her now!" _he heard one of the medics say, his heart still racing. _"We need to move her or we're gonna lose her!" _he heard the other one say. At that point it felt like his heart stopped.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. **

**Please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the reviews guys.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 7**

Mac was stood looking out of the window. The night sky was clear and so he could see every star shining brightly. The majestic moon stood out in particular, like a shiny silver coin. He turned his back to the window and looked over at the hospital bed where Jo lay. Her eyes were closed and she lay so still it actually frightened him. He watched her chest rise and fall as she breathed in and out.

He walked over to her bedside and sat down in the chair that he had placed next to it. He then leant forwards so he could take hold of her hand. He noticed her wrist and how bruised it was, her other wrist was concealed under a cast so he couldn't check that one. He glanced up at her face, that too was covered in angry bruises and cuts, yet he couldn't help but think that she still looked as stunning as ever.

He lifted her hand up to his lips and placed a soft and loving kiss on it. He let his lips linger there and closed his eyes and thought about how much he loved her. He had known there was something about her the first day he had saw her up on the balcony at the lab. The butterflies he felt every time he had saw her ever since then had only gotten stronger.

"Tyler….Ellie…"

Mac opened his eyes and looked up at Jo as she muttered her children's names again. He stood up and gently placed his hand on her head. He gazed down at her, not quite yet believing she was coming to. "Jo. Can you hear me?" he asked.

"Mac? Where's Ellie, Tyler?" she asked groggily as she opened her eyes.

"They're both fine." he told her, "Tyler had to be admitted for the bump on his head, but he's doing great. Ellie's staying with Lindsay and Danny. Little Lucy's really taken to her, Next thing she'll be asking you for a sister." he joked. Jo smiled and just looked at him. He could tell she was still thinking about Tyler and Ellie. "They're fine, I promise you." he said.

Jo smiled and nodded, she believed him. "You gonna give me my hand back?" she asked him, _he had yet to let go of it. _Mac smiled at her and shook his head.

"No?" she asked with a small smile, _it was all her bust and swollen lip could manage. _

Mac climbed onto the bed next to her, the whole time keeping hold of her hand. He wrapped his other arm around her shoulder, immediately Jo nestled against him. It felt so good, and she felt so safe, in his arms.

They sat in one and others arms in silent for a moment, just enjoying each others embrace. Finally Jo had to ask what was on her mind. "Was John killed?" she asked. She remembered hearing a shot just before she hit the floor.

"Yeah" Mac told her.

"What about Samuel?"

She noticed how Mac didn't answer her, just wrapped his arm tighter around her. She pushed herself up and looked at him. "Mac?"

He looked at her and hesitated before he said, "Samuel got away. He broke though a window in the basement. We have people out looking for him. We think he snagged his leg on the broken glass, he will probably have to check into a hospital soon."

Jo pulled herself out of his arms and slowly pushed herself up, her body protested against the movements and the pain it caused her.

"Jo where are you going?" Mac asked as he climbed down off the bed and followed her as she limped over to the door.

"If he's still out there then I want to be where my kids are. He'll come after them again." she panicked.

"No he won't, Jo and if he does he'll be caught. We have officers all around the hospital including outside Tyler's door as well as people outside Danny and Lindsay's place."

"Mac, he's not going to give up until I'm dead, or my kids are dead. He blames me for his brothers death and right now he's probably blaming me for his fathers too." Jo told him.

"Jo you've had surgery, you're in no shape to be running around…"

"Mac, I don't care what shape I am in, I will fight until my last breath to protect my children." she told him.

Mac sighed and looked at her and saw the determination on her face. "I'll make a deal with you." he said, "You stay here, get back in bed and rest, let me stay with Tyler and Ellie. Jo you know there is no way I will let anyone hurt them."

Jo looked at him, she now saw the determination in _his_ eyes. She thought it over for a while before she said "Ok, but only for tonight. I want to take them both home tomorrow."

"You need to stay here longer." Mac told her.

"I need to be with my kids." she said, correcting him.

"Ok so I'll make another deal with you. Tomorrow you can take them home and you can go with them but only if I can stay with you too. You'll be there to look after Tyler and Ellie and I'll be there to look after you." he said, flashing her his best smile.

She smiled back at him and decided it was probably easier to agree with him than argue with him. "Fine, but you'know I'm not getting much out of these deals." she told him with a seductive smile.

Mac stepped right up to her and placed a soft kiss on the only part of her face that wasn't bruised. "You will." he whispered to her.

Jo just laughed slightly. "Go!" she said, playfully hitting his chest.

Mac walked over to the door grinning like a fool. Jo walked over to the bed and climbed back in. She liked the idea of rest but she would much rather be with her children so she knew they were safe, but if she couldn't be with them there was no one other than Mac she would trust to take her place.

"Hey, Mac!" she called before he stepped out.

He turned to face her, still smiling. "Yeah?"

"How much do you charge, an hour I mean?" she asked.

Mac was clearly confused. "What?" he asked, laughing.

"For babysitting." she said with a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

"Get some sleep Jo." he said to her as he walked out.

Jo laughed as she nestled back down in the bed. She couldn't wait to be out of the hospital and back in her apartment. She wanted to get in her own bed and be surrounded by her own things. She closed her eyes and decided that sleeping would make tomorrow come round quicker.

~0~0~0~0~

_**5 weeks later. **_

Jo was sat on the couch with Ellie as they watched TV. They were both huddled under the same warm blanket. Jo had a cup of tea in her hands and Ellie had a glass of fruit juice.

Jo's body was healing quick, the bruises had all well and truly faded and her cuts were all healed up. Her gun shot wounds had also healed nicely and almost completely, but she found that they would still ache at times.

She'd been given some strong pain meds from the hospital but had stopped taking them over a week ago as they were beginning to make her feel nauseous all the time and she didn't even feel like she needed them anymore. Both her and Ellie looked over to the door when they heard a knock on it. It was Jo who got up to go see who was there. She looked through the peephole and had to smile to see Mac standing there.

She pulled the door open for him and stepped aside to let him in. "What's in the bags?" she asked.

She shut the door and followed him into the kitchen where he placed the bags down on the counter. She watched as he reached in and pulled out some food containers, _takeaway. _"Dinner." he said to her as he pulled open one of the containers.

The smell of Indian curry quickly wafted up around them. He couldn't help but think is smelt fantastic, however, the moment Jo smelt it she had to put her hand over her mouth. She spun round on her feet and shot to the bathroom. Mac could only watch in confusion. He heard the bathroom door slam and made his way towards it.

He walked across the living room and glanced over at Ellie who was watching, confused. "She's been like that all day." she told Mac. "I don't know what she can possibly be throwing up though, all she's had all day is tea, she's not eaten."

Mac smiled at her and said, "It's probably just the pain medication that she's taking, don't worry yourself sweetie."

He walked down the hall towards the bathroom and stood outside. He could hear Jo inside, throwing up. He wasn't sure whether or not he should give her some space but in the end he knocked lightly on the door. "Jo!" he called out.

He didn't get a reply and he knew it was because she was still throwing up. Hesitantly he pushed the door open. He saw Jo knelt hugging the toilet seat as she heaved into it. He walked over to her and took hold of her hair. Holding it back in one hand as he gently rubbed her back with his other hand.

After a moment Jo pulled away from the toilet and reached up and flushed it. She moved right back from it and leant against the side of the bath tub.

"Want me to help you up?" Mac asked her.

Jo closed her eyes and let her head lean against the tub, "No, but I do want you to sit with me." she said looking up at him with her best pleading eyes.

Mac laughed and got down next to her. He snuggled up right next to her and she leant her head on his shoulder. "I think I'm sick." she told him after a moment.

"That or you really don't like Chicken Korma."

"Please, Mac, you know me I'll eat anything."

"Maybe we should take you to see a Doctor. You could be having some sort of allergic reaction to the pain medication you're on." Mac suggested.

"I stopped taking them days ago, when I first started feeling like this." she said. "It's probably because I haven't eaten properly in days. Every time I get a whiff of food I need to throw up."

"That really isn't like you at all." Mac joked.

"Hush." she told him playfully with a smile. "You know the only other time I was like this was when I was…." Jo said, suddenly stopping herself and sitting up straight.

Worried, Mac turned to face her. "When what?" he asked.

"Was when I having Tyler….when I was pregnant." They both looked at each other, both as confused as each other. Mac was about to talk when Jo beat him to it. "There could just be some other explanation." she said.

"Maybe. There's only one way to find out." Mac replied.

She knew he was right and she knew he meant she had to do a pregnancy test. _She suddenly felt very sick again._

~0~0~0~0~

It was early morning the next day, 6.30am. Jo and Mac were both sat on the couch in silence, staring down at the pregnancy test that lay upside down on her coffee table. There was a watch next to it, counting down the minutes.

Mac turned to look at Jo. He could see the worry in her face, he could also see how see was bouncing her leg, clearly nervous. He reached out and placed his hand on her knee, stopping her. "Relax." he said.

"Oh I wish I could. I just keep thinking about if it's positive. I'm not sure I should be having a baby, I'm over forty and that can risk health problems for the baby…"

"Jo your fit, your healthy. There is no reason why you won't give birth to a perfectly healthy baby." he said to her. "Women in their fifties are even having children now more and more."

"I suppose. I just don't know how I'm going to manage this job, a new baby as well as Ellie and Tyler."

"Jo, you're not going to be alone in this." he said to her. She turned to face him as he said, "If you are pregnant then I guess that will make me a father to be and that's something I take very serious. I'm gonna be with you through every step of this."

Jo smiled and had to hold his face as she pressed her lips against his. Mac kissed her back and reached up to hold her face. The kiss lingered for a little longer before Mac pulled away. He reached out and picked up the watch. He looked at it then turned it to face Jo. "Time's up." he said to her.

Jo took a deep breath before she reached out and picked up the test. She closed her eyes as she turned the test to face her. It was only after another deep breath that she was able to open her eyes and look at the test.

Unable to talk she just turned it to face him. He saw the result and then looked up at her, smiling.

**TBC**

**Okay so I know that this may seem a little far fetched, Sela Ward is like 56 but I'm guessing Jo is supposed to be younger, more early forties and women can still get pregnant at that time and again it's something the show will never do so I figured I would. Like Jo said to Mac in Identity Crisis, he should have kids because he would make a great father, face the challenges of parenthood with her so why not have them do it together with their own child. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I think most of you liked the idea of Jo being pregnant, some not so much but you're about to find out if she is or if she isn't. **

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine if you've seen on them CSI: NY.**

**Chapter 8**

Jo was lay on the bed, waiting for it all to start. She gazed up at the plain ceiling her hands rubbing her temple. She was panicking, she never panicked, she was always so calm, _that was the Southern way. _

She suddenly felt a gentle grip pull her hand away. She turned to see Mac sat next to her, a grin on his face. "What?" she asked with a smile, feeling like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"You're panicking again." he said knowingly.

Jo looked at him and said, "I am, I just can't help it. I keep thinking about what could go wrong." she said, looking back up at the oh-so boring ceiling.

"Jo, in about two minutes we're going to see our baby on that screen and we're going to be told it's fine, fit and healthy."

As if on cue the Ultrasound technician walked in. Mac had to smile when he saw Jo begin to panic again. He loved how she was already so concerned for the baby.

"How are you all doing today?" the young tech asked them.

"We're great." Mac replied.

The tech smiled at them as she sat down and prepared the machine. She glanced at Jo and saw the worry on her face, she then glanced up at Mac who just smiled back. "Lets get started." she said as she grabbed the lubricating jelly.

She lifted Jo's shirt up and said, "This may feel a little cold." as she placed some onto her tummy.

Jo barely felt it, she was too busy waiting for an image to appear on the empty screen. Mac held her hand a little tighter as the tech began to trace the transducer over her tummy. The sound of the babies heartbeat suddenly filled the small room.

Both Jo and Mac turned to face each other, both of them smiling. "That's so strong." Jo said, shocked.

"It is." The tech agreed, "Clearly the heart is fine." she said as she continued to study the screen. "You're about 14 weeks I would say. The baby is a perfect size. Take a look." she said, turning the screen so they could both now see.

Jo felt tears of joy stinging her eyes, she suddenly began to wonder why she had been so worried. They clearly had one strong baby. "Oh look at the legs!" Jo said excitedly.

Mac was silent, he was too amazed at the image of his growing child. "That's amazing." was all he could manage. Jo turned to face him and placed her hand up on his face, then turned back to face the screen,, keeping her hand on his face where he now held it.

"So you can stop worrying now. Trust me when I say that this is a healthy baby. Everything is perfect and as it should be. With you being over 35 I'd like you to come back more regular for scans but it's nothing to worry about. We just want to check it's doing as well as it is here."

Jo and Mac just nodded, both excited at the chance to get to see the baby on screen again soon. Mac turned his face into Jo's hand so he could place a kiss on her palm. She turned to face him and smiled. They then both turned to the screen to continue looking at their child.

"Now we have to work out how to tell the team." Mac pointed out.

~0~0~0~0~

Lindsay, Danny, Flack, Hawkes, Adam and Sid were all sat in a bar, around a table, with a drink in their hands. They were waiting for Mac and Jo to arrive. Mac had called them all together because he needed to talk to them, now they were all left wondering what was going on.

"Maybe Mac's leaving again?" Lindsay said sadly.

"Jo's sure to take over this time." Hawkes said.

"What if Jo's leaving?" Adam said sadly. "I'd miss her if she did, her accents the best."

They all looked at him but quickly looked away again or took a sip of their drinks.

Flack had his idea of what Mac wanted to talk to them about but he wasn't about to say something. He had known something was going on between Mac and Jo since the night she had gone missing.

"There they are now." Sid said, spotting Mac's car as it pulled up across the street.

They all watched as Mac and Jo sat there for a minute, talking.

"What do you think they're saying?" Adam asked.

They all shared the same confused look when Jo reached up and touched Mac's face.

"What the…" Danny began as they watched Jo and Mac move in closer.

"Did they just kiss!" Lindsay asked in shock. "They kissed?"

"Go Mac!" Hawkes said. They all turned to look at him. "Oh come on Jo's hot!"

"I would have to agree." Sid said, thinking back to the awkward day when he had first met Jo and had been totally thrown off track by her.

They all turned to face away from the window as Jo and Mac made their way out of the car. They waited with grins on their faces until finally Jo and Mac walked over to their tables.

They all greeted them in their own way but it was Danny who said, "Hey Mac, you got a little something on your lip….is it, could it be lipstick?"

Mac and Jo just laughed, along with everyone else, knowing they'd been caught. Mac reached for Jo's hand and took hold of it. "Jo and I are together." he told his team.

They all stood to hug and congratulate the two of them. They then sat back down and Jo slipped into the booth next to Lindsay but Mac stayed standing, as did Flack. "I'm getting the next round, Mac you having one?" he asked. _Knowing he had been right about his suspicions. _

"I'll have a light beer." he replied.

"Jo, what about you?" Flack asked.

Jo quickly glanced at Mac then turned to face Flack again and with a telling smile said, "I'm actually not drinking…for a while."

"Why?" Adam asked.

Jo looked up at Mac, hoping they would understand her reason for not drinking so she didn't have to say it.

"Wait! Are you pregnant?" Lindsay asked a little coyly.

"Just over three months." Jo confirmed.

"That's great!" Lindsay cried as she and Jo hugged. The guys all stood to congratulate Mac once more and then hugged Jo too.

"Congratulations, Mac." Lindsay said as she gave him a hug. Mac was the next best thing she had to a father and she was truly happy for him. "You're gonna make a great father."

"Thank you." he said as he hugged her back.

Flack came back over to them with a beer for Mac and an orange juice for Jo. He passed them their drinks and picked up his own again. "Lets make a toast!" he suggested.

Mac walked over to Jo and stood next to her, his hand around her back, his hand resting on her side. Danny found _his_ way over to Lindsay and stood behind her wrapping his arm around her front, holding her close against him.

"To Mac and Jo!" Flack said. Everyone held their drinks up and repeated.

Mac looked down at Jo and kissed the top of her head, his hand reached around to rest on her tummy and she placed hers on his and they both watched their friends laugh and swig their drinks.

None of them noticed the man who had walked into the bar, just after Jo and Mac, wearing a heavy jacket and a base ball cap. He was now sat at the bar with his back to them but close enough to be able to hear them.

"To the pitter patter of tiny feet that will have them running round in circles in a few months!" Danny toasted.

The man at the bar was nursing a glass of scotch in his hand. He raised it up and muttered, "Congratulations Jo."

_The man was Samuel Curtis…_

~0~0~0~0~

_**2 months later **_

Jo was walking down the corridor, carrying files that were mostly resting on her huge swollen belly. She felt like a beached whale as she made her way towards her office. She had put of a baggy cardigan this morning hoping that it may hide her bump a bit more but it was so far failing to do so.

She was just outside Adam's lab when the files and other paper work she was carrying slipped from her arms and crashed to the floor, scattering around her feet. "Great!" she rumbled.

She was about to attempt to bend down and pick the papers up when Adam ran out of his lab and practically skidded to his knees and began collecting the files and papers together. Jo could only look down at him and smile gratefully. "Adam, you're a star!" she told him.

He stood up, the papers all neatly resting in his one arm, "It's okay. I figured it would be easier to pick these up off the floor than you." he said.

Jo looked at him, his words registering in her head. They also registered in Adams and he laughed nervously. "I didn't mean it like that…you look great!" he said.

Jo just raised her eyebrows at him. "Knock it off Adam, I look like a cow." Jo said.

Adam smiled and shook his head. "You don't. You really do look great." he told her honestly.

Jo smiled but quickly got distracted when the baby began kicking. She loved the feel of the baby kicking even if it was hard enough to make her gasp a little. . Adam almost had a panic attack. "Oh my God! Are you okay? Do you want me to get Mac?" he asked as she placed her hand on her tummy.

"No, Adam I'm fine. The baby is just kicking. In fact it always kicks when you're around. It must like the sound of your voice." she decided.

"Really?" he asked, blushing a little.

"Yeah. You wanna feel it?" she asked.

Adam was going to say no but curiosity won him over. Jo smiled and took his hand and placed it on her tummy. "Say something." she told him.

"Like what?" he said, only to be amazed when he felt the baby kick. "That's awesome!" he said smiling, laughing when he felt it kick again. Jo just smiled seeing the expression on his face.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo was running a little late when she finally made it to Mac's office. She walked in and slumped down on the comfy chairs, putting her feet up on Mac's coffee table. She put her head back and sighed, it felt amazing to take the weight off her feet.

Mac smiled and jokingly said, "You're late."

Jo kept her eyes closed and her head tilted back as she said, "Adam was feeling tummy."

Mac looked at her with a confused smile on his face. She suddenly looked at him and smiled with a wink. "The baby always kicks when it hears him." she said.

Mac got up from behind his desk and went and sat next to Jo, taking hold of her one hand in his and his other hand he placed on her tummy. "You look tired." he said to her.

"My back is killing me. You know I was never this big with Tyler. I blame you Mac Taylor!" she joked.

"Maybe that means you're having a girl." he said to her.

"You think?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I can picture a little girl. Dark hair, your eyes…my good looks of course."

Jo playfully smacked him as she laughed, they both felt the baby then kick against Mac's hand. "See, even she's hitting you." Jo said before she rested her head on his shoulder. She really was exhausted, _time for home._

~0~0~0~0~

Jo had left work and was finally home. She walked up to her door and unlocked it. She would have the apartment to herself for a while because Ellie was out with Tyler. They were having pizza and then were off to see the latest flick at the cinema.

She walked in and flicked the light on. She dropped her bag kicked her shoes off by the door and walked straight into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Once that was done she headed for the living room, she was thinking couch, tea and some TV, then she was getting an early night. However, as soon as she flicked the light switch on in the living room she screamed at what she saw, the cup falling from her hands and smashing on the floor.

She forced herself to look at the writing on the wall, _CONGRADULATIONS SINNER_. It was wrote in blood and when she looked down at the floor she saw where the blood had come from. The naked body of a woman lay there, her throat cut wide open but what made Jo cry was the woman's swollen belly, she too must have been around five months pregnant.

She walked over to where she had dumped her bag and grabbed it, reaching into it and pulling out her phone. She dialled Mac and then placed her hand on her tummy, the baby was kicking wildly, _clearly agitated. _She guessed the way her heart was pounding in her chest wasn't helping.

"Mac, Samuel was here! There's a body in the living room." she told him, tears choking her.

"Jo, get out of the apartment right now. I'm coming straight there!" Mac said, panic clearly evident in his voice.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews guys. Sorry it's been a while.**

**(Part in Italics is from Samuel Curtis's POV.)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 9**

_**4 months and some days later.**_

Jo was lying wide awake in bed, totally unable to sleep. A million thoughts were racing through her mind. She felt so uneasy and yet she had no idea why. She turned to face Mac who was lay fast asleep next to her. _'At least one of us is able to sleep.'_ she thought to herself.

She kicked the blankets off herself and sighed. It was so hot and her aching back didn't help matters any. Her huge pregnant belly meant that she couldn't get comfy no matter which way she tried to lie. She was exhausted and desperate for sleep and it really was beginning to take a toll on her body which seemed to have been aching non-stop all day and now night.

She smiled when she felt Mac move beside her, his hand came to rest on her belly. She placed her own hand on top of his and sighed again. Mac knew she was fed up with being pregnant now. She was almost two weeks overdue and had only grown more uncomfortable with each passing day. She was scheduled to be induced in three days and was now counting the minutes to it.

She nestled closer to Mac, her head resting on his arm that lay across the pillows. "Is it morning yet?" she asked, desperate for an excuse to be able to get up out of bed."

"You should try to get some sleep." he said to her. He had yet to open his eyes, even though her knew she was looking at him.

"Tell _your_ baby that." she said.

He finally opened his eyes, smiled, and said. "_My_ baby?"

Jo just laughed, "She's not listening to me. I'm practically begging her to come out and she isn't budging." Jo said as she stroked her belly. "I could eat all the spicy food in the world and she would still refuse to budge. Long walks and hot baths have done nothing either."

"We could always try the other method." Mac said as he suggestively began to kiss Jo's neck.

She had to smile and although she loved his kisses she knew that her body would allow it to go no further. "I wish I had energy, honey." she said as she placed her hand on his face.

"Tease…" Mac joked, whispering his words onto her neck, his breath tickling her.

He placed his hand back on her stomach and she nestled closer to him. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep but finally she did. When she woke up the next morning the daylight was pouring into the bedroom. She reached out and felt the empty and now cold spot next to her. She then noticed the note on the pillow next to her. She reached out and grabbed it and began to read it:

'_Jo,_

_I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful._

_I'm dropping Ellie off at school and will pick her up later._

_Take it easy today._

_Will call you later to check in on you both._

_All my love, Mac._

_Ps, Have I told you how beautiful you are?'_

Jo smiled and said, "Bless you Mac Taylor." She put a hand on her stomach and said, "Your Daddy's so sweet."

Slowly she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She stood up and walked across the room, her hand resting on the bottom of her aching back. She grabbed her robe and threw it on over her pyjamas and made her way into the kitchen.

After the incident with the dead pregnant woman at her apartment Jo had insisted on moving house and she and Mac had come to the conclusion that it was best to get somewhere together. The new apartment was much bigger than her last. Ellie had her own room and the nursery was all ready for the baby who seemed adamant to make it a ten month gestation period.

Jo walked into the kitchen and pulled the fridge open. She had to wince at the pain in her back. It had been troubling her all night but was slowly beginning to feel more intense to the point where it was actually making her feel a little nauseous. She was about to reach for the juice in the fridge when a pain shot through her tummy, startling her more than it hurt her.

Although she had only felt such a thing once in her life she knew immediately what it was. She was nervously excited when she reached for the phone and dialled Mac.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was at a crime scene and had taken Adam along with him. Also there was Flack and Lindsay. Adam looked up from taking pictures when he heard Mac's phone ringing. They all tried to pretend like they weren't listening as Mac answered.

"How you feeling?" they heard him asked. "What, really? Ha, about time! Okay, I'm not really needed here so I'll be right there."

They were all looking at him, all with the same curious look on their face. "Was that Jo?" Lindsay had to ask.

"Yeah, she just started having contractions." he said with an excited smile. "Looks like I'm gonna be a father." he said. "I gotta go!"

They all cheered for him and watched as he raced off towards his car.

"I do not envy Jo right now." Lindsay said, thinking back to her own painful labour.

"You and Danny are well overdue another baby." Adam said.

"He has a point." Flack joined in.

"Unless science can come up with a way for the man to give birth, Lucy is staying an only child." Lindsay said matter-of-factly.

Both Flack and Adam thought about that and both came up with the same response, "_Not a chance!"_

~0~0~0~0~

_It was cold outside the apartment window, but from here he had a clear view inside. He could see her moving around the apartment, making sure everything was in the bag she would be taking along to the hospital. He could see her pulling her hair back into a neat ponytail, throwing a baggy sweater on. He had watched each time she had paused to rub soothing circles on her stomach as a contraction hit her._

Jo walked into the living room and threw the packed baby bag down on the couch. She had to grab a hold of the back of the couch with one hand as another contraction came. She placed one hand on her stomach and rubbed another soothing circle on it as she breathed through the discomfort. It was still more that than pain but it was getting more and more uncomfortable with each contraction.

She looked at her watch as she timed the contraction, it only lasted a matter of seconds. She made a quick mental note of the time, ready to see how long passed between this contraction and the next.

_She was all ready to go to the hospital._ She was now dressed in sweat pants, a white tank top and a loose blue knitted baggy sweater over it. Her hair was scrapped back into a ponytail to keep it off her face. The part of her that had been more excited than nervous had now taken a backseat and she was quickly just becoming nervous.

She looked at her watch again and began to wonder where Mac could be. It had been over an hour and a half since she had phoned him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. After only two rings Mac answered.

"Honey, where are you?" she asked.

"I'm stuck in traffic. There's been some sort of collision up ahead and…I'm stuck in it, Jo. There's no way around it." he told her.

"Okay…" Jo said, a little unsure what the next best plan of action should be.

She gasped as another contraction came, this one bordering on actually being painful.

"Are you okay?" Mac asked.

_From outside he could see the contractions were getting worse. He was tempted to go in now. She would be vulnerable now and would only become more so as her contractions got worse. It was tempting, almost too tempting. But that wasn't his plan. His plan was to come back once the baby had been born._

"That one lasted longer than the others have." Jo told Mac. "Should I get a cab to the hospital?" she asked him.

"No! I'll send Adam over. I don't want you getting a taxi on your own." Mac said. "I'll tell him to take a different route so he doesn't get stuck in this. I'll meet you at the hospital." he told her.

"Okay. See you there." Jo said before she hung up. She made her way over to the baby bag to re-check it, _again._

_He watched for a moment longer. He wished he'd been able to break in and place something like a bloodied human heart in the bag but his new apartment had better security than her last had had. The windows were much sturdier and so were proving more difficult to get in through, but he'd manage; when the time was right. _

_Before he risked the chance of being seen he began making his way down the fire-escape towards the alley below him where his car was parked out of sight._

~0~0~0~0~

It was over a half hour later when Jo opened the door to let Adam in. He looked as nervous as she was feeling. He had no idea what to do with pregnant women, yet he always seemed to be the one giving them a lift to the hospital, first Lindsay, now Jo.

"How you feeling?" he asked her.

"Better now you're here." she said honestly.

Adam began to panic when she leant forward and grabbed his arm, her other hand clutched her stomach. It was another contraction but this one made her whimper a little as the borderline of pain was crossed and sprinted past.

"Car time!" he said as he scooped her bag up off the floor, and then took hold of her hand.

~0~0~0~0~

They were ten minutes away and Jo's contractions although not coming any faster were getting more and more painful.

"Are you remembering to breathe?" Adam asked her as he made a sharp left.

"No, I forgot about it twenty minutes ago." she shot back at him sarcastically before she groaned in pain.

"Almost there." he told her.

"Oh, I hope Mac is there." she said.

Adam could hear the panic in her voice. He reached over and gently gave her hand a squeeze. "I can stay with you till he gets there. If you want me to that is?"

Jo turned to him, smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

~0~0~0~0~

Jo was walking around her delivery room. She was now wearing a not so flattering hospital gown. She had been given the news that she was not quite yet 3cm's dilated, even though she had been in active labour for almost 4 hours. Her contractions were still 4minutes apart and still getting more and more painful, but her waters still had yet to break.

Adam was walking next to her, watching her like an infant learning to walk. He reached out and gently grabbed her as he saw her wince in pain at another contraction. She gratefully held onto his arm and calmly breathed through the pain. However, she couldn't hold in her frustration as soon as it was over. "Where the hell is Mac?" she growled through gritted teeth.

"He's getting here as quick as he can." Adam told her encouragingly.

"I really don't want him to miss this." she said as she began walking again.

"At this rate, I don't think he's going to." Adam said.

As if on cue Mac burst through the door. He walked straight over to Jo and gave her a hug. "How you doing?" he asked her.

"She's doing great, but that is one stubborn baby." Adam said.

Mac smiled at him, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Thank you." he said, more than grateful.

"It's fine. I'm gonna go grab a coffee, do you two want anything?" Adam asked.

"Coffee sounds great." Mac said. Jo just waved him off, she felt too sick to drink or eat.

Adam smiled and walked over to the door.

"Thanks, Adam!" Jo called over to him.

He playfully saluted her and stepped out of the room, off to fetch some coffee.

"Thank God you're here. I thought you would miss this." Jo said to Mac as she sat down on the bed, needing a rest.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." he told her as he took hold of her hand. She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

~0~0~0~0~

_**7 hours later.**_

The team had all gathered in the relative's room where they were all waiting on news. Ellie and Tyler were sat on a couch next to each other. Tyler had his arm around Ellie as they too both nervously awaited news on how their mother was doing. Lucy was also there, sat on Danny's lap as he read a book to her. They all looked up when Mac walked in.

"How's Mom?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, it's been hours." Lindsay said.

"The Midwife has said that she's been in slow labour for over 15 hours. She thinks it probably started in the night and that Jo just didn't realise. She said it's common, but that active labour has usually kicked in by now. Her water still hasn't broke so that is probably slowing it down. They're gonna break them for her." he said.

"Poor, Jo." Flack said. "She must be exhausted?"

"I think she's already passed that stage." Mac said truthfully.

"Is she screaming at you yet?" Adam asked, making them all laugh a little.

"Not yet, but I wouldn't blame her." Mac said.

"I wanted to kill Danny when I was in labour." Lindsay said.

"Yeah you did." Danny said, thinking back to how she had cursed him and told him she would cut of his member if he ever came near her with it again.

"Well hopefully, we won't be waiting much longer now." he said.

"Tell her we're all here for her." Tyler said.

Mac just nodded.

~0~0~0~0~

_**3 hours later.**_

Jo was leaning against Mac who was rubbing her back, trying to soothe her pain. He was feeling guilty for being unable to do more for her. She was trying to breathe through a contraction but it was too painful and she could only whimper in pain. The contractions were coming much quicker now and were painfully intense.

When the contraction finally passed she moved over to the bed and lay down. She was far beyond exhausted now and was feeling sick as a dog. Pain medication had done nothing to help her and she was desperate for all this to be over with.

"I can't believe this, Tyler practically walked out." Jo complained. "Why won't this baby come out?"

Mac smiled and took hold of her hand. "I guess she's as determined as her mother." Mac said.

"…Or just as stubborn as her Daddy." Jo said with a smile. "You know we've been calling this baby a girl for the last year and a half that I've been pregnant." Jo said sarcastically. Mac just laughed and continued to hear out her point. "What do we do if it's a boy? We haven't even discussed boy's names."

"I like the name Jacob." Mac said.

Jo didn't even have to think about it, she loved it. "I think that's perfect. Jacob Taylor. I love it." she said with a smile.

Mac smiled and said, "But if we're right and it is a girl, what name are we settling on?"

"We've thought of so many." Jo said.

Mac was about to reply when Jo sat up and cried out as pain ripped through her. She had to grip his hand, too startled by the sudden and sheer pain to breathe through it. The midwife was right there and after a check said, "Okay this is it."

Mac stood up and helped Jo move into a more suitable position. The Midwife was there ready to give her commands. "On the next contraction I want you to push, Jo."

Jo nodded and tried to prepare herself for the next contraction but it came too quick and she found herself crying out in pain and without the strength to even think about pushing.

"Jo, sweetheart, I need you push!" the Midwife told her.

Jo tried but her body seemed unwilling to co-operate. She slumped back in the bed and said, "I can't do this, Mac!"

"Jo, if anyone in the world can do this it is you." he said to her.

Jo nodded and took a deep breath and as the next contraction came she took a deep breath and then with all the strength she could muster up she pushed. She pushed for as long as she could before it went too beyond painful.

Mac grabbed her hand tighter and tried to give her some encouragement, "You're doing fantastic." he said as he placed a kiss on her head. "This is all going to be over soon."

Jo reached up and placed her hand on his face, thankful for his support. She was fairly sure she wouldn't be able to do this without him here. As another contraction came she grabbed hold of the bed and gripped it tight as she pushed, again with all the strength she had. "That's it, Jo. Keep pushing!" the Midwife told her.

Jo did as she was told. She felt like her body was about to break in two, she cried out in pain but kept pushing until she could no more. Mac turned to her again and said, "The heads almost out, Jo."

"By God, I was almost teaching Tyler to walk at this stage!" she muttered. She wanted to cry as she felt another contraction come through strong and hard. Once more she pushed, praying for the strength to be able to keep it up. With a defeated growl she had to stop.

"That's it, Jo. You're almost there." Mac said as he brushed a stray lock of hair back off her hair. She held onto his arm and tried to catch her breath.

Another contraction crept up on her and hit her at full force, with a cry she pushed, listening to Mac and the Midwife's encouraging words. She fell back against the bed when she heard Mac give out a proud cry, "It's a girl!" he told her.

Jo opened her eyes to watch as the Midwife placed her crying daughter down on the chest. She reached up and secured her in her arms and just stared at her in amazement. "About time, baby girl." she said as she softly kissed her head.

The midwife passed Mac a blanket which he placed over his little girl. He left his hand resting gently on her back, his other hand resting on Jo's head. He had to kiss Jo, the feeling too overwhelming to ignore. "Congratulations Mac, you're a Daddy." she said to him.

Mac smiled and kissed her again, "Thanks to you." he replied before they both looked down at the baby in Jo's arms. "She's beautiful." he said.

~0~0~0~0~

Lindsay was sat with Lucy fast asleep in her arms. Ellie was playing about on her Ipod as the guys, including Tyler, all talked. The conversation came to an abrupt end when Mac walked in.

"Well, is she okay?" Tyler asked.

Mac smiled and said, "Mother and daughter are both doing fantastic."

Everyone cheered and stood up to congratulate Mac.

~0~0~0~0~

It was sometime later when they were all gathered around Jo's bedside. Ellie was sat on the bed next to Jo who had one arm wrapped around her. Her other hand was holding Tyler's. Lindsay was holding the baby, gently swaying with her. She looked up and admitted, "Okay, this does kinda make me feel a little broody."

Danny stepped closer to her and said, "I can help you out with that."

Lindsay playfully nudged him away and had a quick glance at Mac who was holding onto a sleeping Lucy, his goddaughter.

"Ok, my turn." Flack said as he stepped over to Lindsay and took the sleeping baby from her. Everyone watched as he cradled the baby in his arms, "Jo, all I can say is thank God she looks like you." he said.

Jo had to laugh. "She has her Daddy's kind eyes." Jo said, casting a quick glance and a smile at Mac.

"What you gonna call her?" Adam asked.

"I think you should call her Bella." Ellie said.

"As in Swan, as in Twilight? I got news for you Ell's we're not Italian."

"Well neither is Bella Swan." Ellie shot at her big brother.

Jo just laughed and pulled her children closer to her. "We've decided to call her Kaya." Jo said.

Mac smiled, it was a name they had come up with one night months ago and he still liked the sound of it as much as he had that night.

"I like it." Adam said.

"Me too, it suits her." Lindsay said.

"So will it be Kaya Danville Taylor, or Taylor…or Danville?" Danny asked.

"He's right. It could get confusing. If you two were married, it would be so much easier." Sid said.

"Okay!" Jo said holding her arms out to take Kaya from Flack, "I practically just went through 24 hours of labour! I am not getting married as well." she laughed.

"Not today at least." Adam muttered.

The others all heard him and laughed. Jo just looked down at her sleeping daughter, refusing to look any of them in the eye. When she did look up she saw Mac looking at her, a loving smile on his face, one she just had to reflect back at him as she cradled their daughter.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.**

**Thanks to littlesweetcupcake for the baby's name. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the reviews guys. There's only one more chapter after this one. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Chapter 10**

**1 month later.**

"Mom, I still can't find it!" Ellie shouted from where she stood by the hall closet.

Jo was knelt by the bath, holding Kaya securely in one arm as she bathed her. Luckily she had just finished, so knowing Ellie needed to be shown what she was looking for she scooped Kaya up out of the bath tub and grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped her up in it.

She cuddled her close as she walked out of the bathroom carrying her securely in one arm. She stepped behind Ellie and looked into the closet. To her surprise the sleeping bag that Ellie was looking for was not where she had last seen it.

"Take your sister." she said to Ellie, and gently passed her Kaya.

Ellie took her and Jo watched as she stood softly swaying her, quietly talking to her. She had to smile at Kaya who looked up at Ellie with curious eyes. It was the way she looked at everyone. Ellie was great with her and Jo delighted in seeing them together. Ellie was perfectly happy to play the doting big sister. Tyler had the doting big brother covered.

She turned to face the closet and began scanning it. She finally saw the purple sleeping bag stuffed up on the top shelf. She had to climb a little but was able to grab it and pull it out. "Ta'da!" she sang as she showed it to Ellie.

"Thanks Mom." Ellie laughed as she turned and walked into the living room. Jo followed her and watched as she sat down on the couch, still cradling her baby sister.

She sat down next to her and ran a finger over Kaya's head. "Mila O'Neill in school is totally jealous because she wanted a sister and her mom had a boy." Ellie snickered.

"And you're happy with a sister."

"Yeah, to be honest I'm just glad that I'm not the youngest anymore. Also, having a sister means that we still outrank the boys in the family." Ellie said.

Jo just laughed. "That's true and will probably come in handy when she gets bigger." Jo said. "So you all packed and ready for the sleep over?" Jo asked her.

"Yep." Ellie answered. "You sure you'll be okay though. You know that I'm the only one who can get her to sleep when she gets in one of her moods."

"You're just a phone call away." Jo joked. "Go, have fun with your friends and don't be worrying about us." she added.

They both turned to face the door as it opened. Mac walked in with a smile on his face. He seemed to have a permanent smile the last couple of months. "Hi!" Jo called out to him.

He walked over to her and placed a kiss on her head. Jo reached up and placed her hand on his face. _God she loved the touch of his face against her hand._ "How are we all?" he asked, placing a hand on Ellie's head too.

"Good." Ellie answered for them, smiling at Mac who smiled back at her.

Jo loved how well he and Ellie got on. He was the first real father figure she'd had and Mac was happy to play it and be there for her. He then reached down and brushed Kaya's face gently with his finger. "Someone's had a bath." he said softly.

"Yeah, and that's just what her Momma's gonna do when I get back." Jo said taking Kaya from Ellie. "Go grab all your stuff sweetheart." she said to Ellie.

Ellie went to her room to grab her things whilst Jo stood up and walked over to Mac and placed a kiss on his lips as she sneakily passed him Kaya. Mac took hold of her and asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna run Ellie to her friends. She's having a sleepover tonight."

"Well, let me take her. You have that bath." he said as he placed a kiss on her lips and, using her trick, sneakily passed Kaya back into her arms. Jo's laugh was muffled as she kissed him again.

"I love you." she said as she looked into his eyes. She would happily gaze into his eyes all day; they were so kind and caring.

"I love you to." he said. "I won't be long." he told her. He leant down and gave Kaya a kiss, taking in the smell of her baby shampoo. _He loved it._ "Bye." he said as he gave Jo another kiss. He just couldn't get enough of kissing her.

"Gross! Get a room!" Ellie spat.

"GO!" Jo shouted playfully. Ellie walked over to her and Jo placed a kiss on her head and then said, "I'll pick you up tomorrow, baby."

"Okay. Love you Mom. Love you Kaya." Ellie said as she followed Mac over to the door.

"Bye!" Jo called again as she watched them walk out, leaving her alone with Kaya. "Bath time for Momma!" Jo said to Kaya, looking so forward to putting little Kaya to bed and enjoying a long soak in a hot bubble bath.

Kaya had other ideas and began to squirm and cry in Jo's arms. Jo immediately knew what she wanted. "Okay, fine little one, I'll feed you first." she said before heading into the nursery.

_He didn't have to worry about being outside in the cold as he watched her now. He could watch her from the warmth of her apartment, of her bedroom. He'd listened to the others leave and so knew it was now just Jo and the baby in the apartment._

_He crept right outside the nursery and looked through the small gap in the door. He watched Jo put a diaper on her baby and then watched as she shed her shirt and bra and sat down in the rocking chair in the baby's perfectly decorated nursery. He knew enough about baby's to know that skin to skin contact helped a mother and baby keep a strong bond. 'Too bad I'm about to kill you both' he thought to himself. _

_He crept back out of the way. He wanted to surprise her and new he had to wait a little longer, just a little longer. 'Let her have her bath' he thought menacingly._

~0~0~0~0~

Finally, Jo was lay in the bath. The warm bubbly water enveloped her tired body in pure bliss. The apartment was quiet, Kaya was fast asleep and Jo had the door open slightly so she could listen out for her, just in case she decided to wake up. This bath tub was bigger than the tub had been in her last apartment, so it was easy to get comfy in it, _too comfy._ Jo could feel sleep creeping over her but she forced her eyes to stay open.

They were about to drift shut again when she felt a cold waft of air hit her body. She looked up to see the bathroom door was now completely closed over. "Mac?" she called out. _She got no answer. _

She figured he must be home and giving her the chance to stay in the bath a little longer, but she'd been in the bath long enough. She pushed herself up out of the water and grabbed her robe and threw it on.

She walked out of the bathroom and into the living room. "Mac?" she called out again, he wasn't there, or in the kitchen. She headed back down the hallway and was about to check the bedroom when she heard a creak come from the nursery.

She knew Mac loved to go in and check Kaya was ok. He did it every night before he got in bed and each time Jo would stand in the doorway watching him, loving how much he adored his little girl. Sometimes after a hard day at work he would fall asleep in there, sat in the rocking chair as he watched Kaya sleep. Jo would always go in and put a blanket over him.

She pushed the door open and leant against the door frame and looked in through the dark. She could see his shadow by the crib. She could tell he was cradling Kaya, she guessed she must have woken up fussing. "I never heard her crying." she said.

"She wasn't."

The second Jo heard the voice she knew it wasn't Mac. She quickly reached up to flick the light switch on but she couldn't find the damn thing. By the time she did find it and managed to flick it on, Samuel had stormed across the room and was just inches away from her.

His fist connected so fast with her face that she didn't have time to react to prevent it. It hit her with such force she was knocked to the floor. His heavy boot connected hard with her stomach, once, twice and then a third time. She cried out in pain and couldn't help but hold her ribs. The pain she felt in them was nauseating.

She looked up at the Samuel, at her daughter who lay in his arms. She held her breath as she continued to look at Kaya. She was still, too still.

She could finally release the breath when she saw her squirm in her sleep in Samuel's arms. "Samuel, please…" she began, thinking only of her innocent baby and not the pain she was in.

"Shut up now or I swear I will cut her throat open." he said as he pulled a knife out of his belt and held it by Kaya's throat.

Jo almost heaved. She wanted him nowhere near her baby but she certainly wanted him nowhere near her with a knife. "No! Don't, please!" she begged, tears in her eyes.

"Jo, not only did you kill my brother but you got my father killed as well." Samuel began. "You took away the people that mattered most in my life, tell me why I shouldn't take away what matters to you?" he asked.

"She's 1 month old, please!" Jo begged.

"And it will be your fault that she doesn't get to make two months old." he said coldly.

"I'm sorry, for what happened to John and to your father." she lied but said it like she meant it.

Samuel saw right through it and angrily brought the knife right up against Kaya's throat, waking her up.

"Don't!" Jo pleaded as she pushed herself to her feet.

She saw how Kaya began to squirm in his grasp, each movement bringing her closer to the sharp blade. "I'll do whatever you want just please don't hurt her."

"What would you do for her, Jo? Would you sacrifice your own life, how about Mac's, maybe Ellie's or Tyler's? Chose!"

"Mine. I don't care what you do to me but please don't hurt my family."

"And now you know how I feel! We're gonna take a little ride Jo. You, me and baby Kaya."

"I'll go wherever you want, but leave her here." Jo said. She knew Mac would be home soon.

"You're a cop, you should know better than to leave a baby alone in the house. You never know what could happen to her, or who could break in and hurt her." he said with a sickening smile. "Now get your car keys." he said as he continued to hold the knife against Kaya's throat.

Jo did as she was told, for the safety of her baby.

~0~0~0~0~

Samuel wasted no time in leading Jo towards her car. He had tight hold of Kaya in his arms and now had a gun pointed at Jo. He had pulled that from his belt and Jo wasn't sure which one to be more afraid of, the knife or the gun. She did know that she wanted neither by her baby.

"Get in, you're driving." he told her.

Again Jo did as she was told. She watched in the side mirror as he climbed into the back, she was thankful as he put Kaya in her seat and began strapping her. She suddenly felt something in the pocket of her robe and held in a smile as she remembered she had put her cell phone in her pocket. She was suddenly thankful more than ever that she kept the thing practically stitched to her hip.

She reached into her pocket and easily flicked it onto silent. Keeping an eye on Samuel she carefully managed to speed-dial Mac.

Mac was just about to pull away from Ellie's friend's house when his cell phone began to ring. He saw it was Jo calling and answered. "You missing me that much you couldn't wait till I get home to hear my voice." he said, joking.

The smile on his face quickly turned to a frown when he got no reply. "Jo?" he said. Still he got no reply. He noticed how it sounded fuzzy almost. "Drive!" he heard a man's voice say.

"Where to?" he heard Jo ask, knowing she was speaking up slightly. He could hear the urgency in her voice.

"To wherever I say, bitch! Now drive before I shoot your baby!"

Mac's heart began to pound against his chest as he sped full speed up the street, heading back towards the apartment. He felt sick with worry and was paying hardly any attention to the road. He narrowly missed hitting oncoming traffic, but he carried on anyway. He was praying he would get to Jo and Kaya before they were hurt.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to all who have read, reviewed or added alerts/favorites throughout this story. You guys are fab! **

**I'm sorry this update has taken a while, I've had a whole lot going on and unfortunately writing kinda got put on the backseat. Anyway, hope you like.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 11**

Jo had no idea where Samuel was taking her to but the city was far behind them now and Jo was seeing more and more trees and less and less houses. Her phone was still on in her pocket. She was trying to let Mac know where she was heading even though she wasn't even one hundred percent he was still listening and it wasn't like she could check.

Truth was she was beginning to think maybe he wasn't. She was sure he could have arranged help for her by now if he knew the danger she and Kaya were in.

"I want you to take the next right!" he told her.

"The one there by that fallen tree?" she pretended to ask, really just offering Mac another clue.

"Take it!" Samuel growled at her.

Jo did as she was told, casting a quick glance in the rearview mirror to check to see if help was following and to check on Kaya.

The road they had turned onto was a little bumpy and the car bounced over rocks and tree roots no matter how careful Jo tried to be. The rough movements shook Kaya awake and she immediately let both Samuel and her mother know she wasn't happy about being woken up. Jo was terrified as she feared her crying would anger Samuel.

She was right. "Shut her up before I throw her out of the god-damn window!" Samuel yelled.

Jo tried calling to Kaya, hoping her voice would be enough to soothe her but it wasn't. She reached behind her and gently stroked her head but that didn't seem to work either. Jo knew she sensed something wasn't right. "I need to be able to hold her!" she told Samuel.

"Just keep driving!" he yelled above Kaya's cries.

Jo tried to focus on driving but she couldn't pull her eyes away from the rearview mirror, she didn't trust Samuel and with good reason. She saw him move the gun away from her and point it at Kaya.

"Shut-it!" he yelled at Kaya, only making her worse. He placed the gun right by Kaya's face.

"Samuel, don't!" she yelled as she turned to face him and tried to grab the gun from his hand.

He fought against her for a second before he yelled, "Watch out!"

Jo didn't have time to _'watch out'_. She just felt the smack, heard the sound of crushing metal all around her, _then she felt or heard nothing…_

~0~0~0~0~

Mac heard the sound of the metal as loud as if he had been in the car with them. It made him feel sick. He knew from the direction Jo had called out that he wasn't that far behind her and Flack and Danny were not far behind him. He'd put Jo's call on hold whilst he'd rang Flack and filled him in on the situation. Flack had then arranged the backup.

"Jo!" he yelled. "Jo!" he yelled louder. He got no reply, all he could hear was the car horn blaring loud and constant.

~0~0~0~0~

Jo came to with a feeling of severe pain in her shoulder, it hurt to turn her head to look at it but when she did she saw why it hurt so badly. _Her shoulder was clearly dislocated._ The taste of blood filled her mouth and when she glanced into the rearview mirror she saw that her nose, top and bottom lip were bleeding badly.

She struggled to unclip her belt but finally it popped out. It was caught tight so she practically had to peel it away from her body. She turned to look into the back seat, doing so made every inch of her body hurt even more than it already did.

She first cast a glance at Samuel, who lay with his head propped against the window, a trickle of blood seeping down his face. He was out cold, _thank God. _She turned to look at Kaya, who sat silently looking out of the window.

"Hey, baby!" Jo whispered to her, it didn't get her attention. Kaya continued to look out of the window at nothing in particular. "Kaya, baby, look at Momma." Jo said to her. "Kaya!" she said again, a little louder.

This time Kaya seemed to look. Jo sighed, thankful that she didn't appear to have a mark on her. She turned her attention back to getting out of the car. The driver's side door was just a crumpled pile of metal that was pressed up against her body. She looked down and could barely see her legs under the crushed bonnet of the car. She tried to pull herself out of the seat but she could feel jagged metal biting at her legs.

She tried to ignore the pain it caused and used the door on the passenger's side to try to heave herself out. The metal of the car seemed adamant to keep its grip on her. The pain in her legs was excruciating and she had to wonder what state her legs would be in _if_ she could free herself.

For her daughters sake she continued trying to pull herself out, one leg at a time, that seemed easier and even though it felt like she was dragging it through a ring of razor blades she finally managed to free her right leg. The pain actually felt worse than the damage looked. That couldn't be said for her left leg when she was finally able to free it. It was completely covered in blood; she couldn't see even an inch of skin. She decided it was best not to look and just prayed she would be able to walk on them.

She opened the passenger's side door and dragged herself from the car, trying not to cry out in pain. Her one arm was useless and just hung loosely at her side so it was her right arm doing all the work and that too was badly cut.

She tried to stand but her left immediately leg gave out on her, she landed hard on her knee and had to cry out in agony. She pulled herself up and hobbled to the back door. She pulled it open and reached in and gently pulled Kaya from her car seat, keeping a wary eye on Samuel the entire time.

Finally holding her baby safe in her arm made her feel a little less hysterical.

"JO!" she heard a faint voice say.

Remembering her phone she reached into her pocket, managing to balance Kaya in the crook of her arm. She couldn't put the phone to her ear but she was able to switch it onto speaker as she began moving away from the car.

"Jo? Talk to me!" she heard Mac say.

"I'm here, Mac." she said. "I have Kaya." she told him.

"Jo, I'm on my way to you." he said.

"Samuel…" she began, however she cried out in pain as she fell to her knees.

Mac heard her blood curdling cry and it made him sad but also angry. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I crashed the car. My arm is dislocated and I think my leg may be broken. Samuel is still in the car, he's unconscious." she told him. "Mac, where are you?" she asked.

"I'm gonna be there in a minute Jo and I have backup. You and Kaya will be in my arms in less than two minutes." he said as he turned onto the same bumpy road that Jo had crashed on.

Jo was about to tell him how much she wanted that when a bullet skimmed right past her and buried itself into the tree she was leaning against. She somehow hadn't heard the bang but she wasted no time in moving as far and as fast away from it as she could get, but not before she caught a quick glimpse of Samuel running towards her and Kaya.

She knew in her condition she wouldn't be able to go far or keep the distance between them but she made her way deeper into the dense woods. _Samuel was hot on her heels._

Mac saw the wreckage ahead and brought his car to an abrupt stop. Flack, who had caught up, barely managed to stop his car without ramming it into the back of Mac's.

"Jo!" Mac bellowed as he climbed out of his car. Flack was by his side a second later.

"Do you see them?" Flack asked. He couldn't see them anywhere.

Mac shook his head and shouted again, Flack quickly copied. They both flinched when they heard a gunshot. "JO! Mac yelled as he and Flack took off running towards the sound of the gun shot.

Jo's leg gave in on her again and she fell to her knees, once more unable to hold in her cries of pain. Before she had chance to push herself up she felt herself being shoved to the floor. Kaya was ripped out of her arms and pushed away from her. Jo couldn't stop Samuel as he flipped her onto her back and fell down on top of her.

There was little Jo could do to fight back against him. He had the gun shoved right up under her chin and with the other hand was unbuttoning his trousers. He pushed Jo's robe aside and she knew what was coming next.

She tried to wriggle free from under him but her body was just too weak from the crash. "I'm gonna make you feel the worst pain you've ever felt, right until your last breath. Then I'm gunna leave you and you baby out here. She'll be left alive for the critters to eat!" he told her as he put the gun down next to her, only so he could grab at her body, and position his own, ready to abuse her for his own pleasure.

The sound of another gunshot startled Jo, but it was Samuel who had been hit. He fell sideways off her clutching his shoulder in pain. Jo went to push herself up but Samuel kicked out at her. She watched as he reached towards the gun. Another shot echoed through the trees and Samuel slumped backwards, _dead._

Jo looked up just as Mac fell to her side. She watched as Flack scooped up a crying Kaya and began to soothe her. She turned back to face Mac and threw her arm around him. A part of her thought she was dreaming this but as soon as she heard his voice she knew it was real.

"I'm here." he said to her. "Thank God you're both okay."

~0~0~0~0~0

**One month later**

Jo woke up in bed, her heart pounding because of the nightmare she'd just had, the one that had woke her. Awake and with her eyes open she saw Mac's spot in the bed was empty. She pushed herself up in bed, as best as she could. She got up out of bed, grabbing her crutch from where it was propped up. _She refused to use the two._

She made her way out of the bedroom and that was when she noticed the light on in the nursery. She walked over to it and gave the door a push open. When she saw Mac in there she had to smile. He was sat in the rocking chair, cradling Kaya in his arms. She was awake, even though it was 4 in the morning, but she seemed perfectly content just staring up at her father with her big sparkly brown eyes and long dark eyelashes.

"I swear she thinks she's nocturnal." Jo said.

Mac just smiled, "She's just making sure she doesn't miss out on anything." he said looking up at Jo who smiled back at him.

She made her way over to them and reached down and stroked Kaya's hair. It was getting long and had a slight curl to it now. It was softer than anything Jo had ever touched. "You should be sleeping little one." Jo said to her with a smile.

Kaya looked up at her, her eyes smiling the way they always did when she looked at her. Mac went to stand up, to allow Jo to have his seat but she put her hand on his shoulder. "You can stay there. She's comfy."

"Then we'll make room." he said as he moved Kaya onto his one knee. He pulled Jo down onto his other and wrapped his arm around her. She immediately snuggled up to him and continued stroking Kaya's hair.

They sat in silence for a moment before Mac said, "Another bad dream.

"Darn it Mac Taylor, you know me so well." Jo said, continuing to look at her daughter who was beginning to fall back to sleep.

"I know you by heart." he corrected her.

Jo smiled and stopped stroking Kaya's face so she could reach up and hold Mac's face as she kissed him. "I know." she said. "but it's kinda pathetic that I'm having bad dreams at my age."

"Jo, after what you and Kaya went through, it's not pathetic. It's perfectly normal."

"I just wish all this was over." she thought out loud.

"It is. John, Samuel and their father are all dead. None of them are a threat to you, Kaya, Ellie, Tyler, myself or anyone else anymore. We get to move on now, Jo. We get to just be a happy family now." Mac said.

Jo looked at him and had to kiss him again. "You're right." she said as she snuggled up to him again.

They both sat there, holding one another and watching their daughter sleep peacefully in the safety of her parent arms.

**The End**

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the story and I would love to hear what you think. Many thanks again. **


End file.
